Statement

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received a report of the torture of six persons from a Christian family by officials of the Pakistan Air Force. The arrest and torture continued for a period of 18 days and was due to the suspicion that they had stolen gold ornaments from the house of a […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-072-2010 May 7, 2010 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission SRI LANKA: A new commission for restorative justice to deal with difficult past practices of abuse and violence The communiqué from the Presidential Media Unit announcing a probe into the violations of internationally accepted norms of conduct has incorporated several […]

The AHRC cautiously welcomes the announcement of the appointment of a commission to probe violations of internationally accepted norms of conduct during the final stages of the conflict and the circumstances that may have led to such actions and identify any persons or groups responsible for such acts. Despite of the fact that the obvious […]

According to a report in the Daily Mirror newspaper today (May 4, 2010) there are moves to bring the Attorney General’s Department under the direct control of the president. A gazetted notice to this effect is expected to be released soon. The exact meaning on how the department is to be brought under the president […]

from the May 18 Memorial Foundation in South Korea.   Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong   ————- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   AHRC-FST-033-2010 May 01, 2010   An Announcement from The May 18 Memorial Foundation forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission SOUTH KOREA: 2010 Gwangju     Announcement for 2010 Gwangju   The Gwangju […]

A few days ago a large group of people protested at Annamaduwa against the officers of the local police stations against the killing of one of the young people from the village. No one has been arrested for this killing and the villagers protested against the impunity that has been assured to the police. The […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-067-2010 April 27, 2010 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission SRI LANKA: The IGP must explain the circumstances of Prageeth Ekanaliyagoda’s disappearance Prageeth Ekanaliyagoda, a journalist, disappeared on the 4th January, 2010 and despite enormous efforts made by his family and friends, media groups and human rights organisations locally and […]

A man named Murad Khan Marri was arrested near his house on June 27, 2009. Since then he was kept incommunicado in secret detention and was thought to have disappeared. His name was entered into the official list of missing persons. On March 27th 2010 the Frontier Corp claimed that he had been arrested trying […]

Murad Khan Marri, 45, who was held incommunicado on two occasions, first, for a period of nine months after he was arrested by the Frontier Corp (FC), for the murder of Chinese engineers, holding Indian currency and keeping explosive material, has again been disappeared while in the custody of FC. He has now been produced […]

When the military government of Burma passed five new laws and four bylaws during March in preparation for planned elections later this year, it attracted a lot of interest, discussion and analysis in the global media. The only place where the media did not pick up the story was in Burma, or Myanmar, itself. Aside […]

This evening, April 21, there are many disturbing reports of a possible new attack to disperse anti-government protestors that have continued to assemble in Bangkok, calling for the unelected premier, Abhisit Vejjajiva, to step down and for new elections to be held. There are grave and legitimate fears that further violence is imminent and that […]

The government of Burma has set down conditions for the forming of political parties that would have people associate in order to participate in anticipated elections, but nowhere is the right to associate guaranteed. While parties are required to have at least a thousand members to enlist for the national election–500 for regional assemblies–a host […]

Elaris Fernando of Kandana is a special friend of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). He passed away today, April 14, after suffering from worm illness. In 2002, when his grandson was tortured by a group of policemen at the Kandana police station, Elaris Fernando began a fight seeking justice against such behaviour. His fight […]

Murad Khan Marri, who remained incommunicado for nine months and was brought into the limelight by the Frontier Corp (FC), being arrested for the murder of Chinese engineers; for carrying Indian currencies and for keeping explosive material, has again disappeared while in the custody of FC. According to the details, Colonel Asad Shehzad Khatak of […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-060-2010 April 12, 2010 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission PAKISTAN: The AHRC welcomes the formation of a Commission to probe missing persons’ cases The Asian Human Rights Commission welcomes the formation of a Commission by the government of Pakistan to probe cases of missing persons. The three-member Commission would […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission joins other concerned groups and individuals around the world to condemn the blocking in Thailand of 36 websites. The websites were blocked under a state of emergency that the unelected Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, declared on 7 April 2010 in response to continued protests in Bangkok. Most of the 36 […]

One of the basic prerequisites of a fair election is that agencies exist which are responsible for settling disputes that arise before, during and afterwards. These disputes take many forms, and are a normal part of electoral politics. It is essential that well-prepared institutions can address these disputes within rules that are clearly set down […]

The Union Cabinet of the government of India will today discuss about introducing a domestic law criminalising torture in the country. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) welcomes the move and finds it as an encouraging opportunity for the law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations and for the general public to participate in local and […]

On 6 January Lt. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin was appointed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to the position of deputy defence minister. Sjarfie was the Jakarta military commander during the last years of Surhato’s rule in 1997 and is widely believed to be responsible for the still unexplained forced disappearances of 23 student activists. One of […]

Three more Ahmadis, including two brothers, were killed for their religious belief in target killings by unknown persons in Faisalabad city, a province of Punjab. This year so far, five Ahmadis have been killed whereas in the year 2009 eleven Ahmadis were murdered in target killings. Police have yet to investigate the incidents of killings. […]