Urgent Appeal Case

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the brutal torture of Mr. W. Sunil and his wife, Wasanthi by the Wanduranba police on 17 March 2006. On March 17, at around noon, two policemen from the Wanduramba police visited Mr. Sunil’s vegetable farm. As he was not in, they hid […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the torture of Ms. M. K. Buddhika by the Baddegama police on 17 February 2006. Ms. Buddhika pleaded with the police to stop beating her as she was recovering from Caesarian surgery. However, the police ignored her plea and continued to beat her […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from its local partner, Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (Masum), regarding the death of 25-year-old Ms. Tulsi Das, who was killed instantly when she was shot in the face by police on 12 April 2006. The Sub-Inspector of Police from Salar police station, Murshidabad district, West […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from its local partner, Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (Masum), detailing the death of Subhankar Mondal, a mentally disabled boy aged 14, for stealing a biscuit. It is alleged that Subhankar, while wandering around the Tinkonia bus stand on 12 April 2006, became hungry and so […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of the disappearance of Dr. Safdar Sarki, a nationalist and political leader in Pakistan. On 24 February 2006, Dr. Sarki was picked up by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) from his apartment in Gulistan e Jauhar Karachi between 1 and 2pm. Witnesses […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that two more activists have been killed in separate incidents. On April 5, Florencio Cervantes (27) was killed inside his house in Barangay (village) Sta. Cruz, Rosario, Agusan del Sur. His wife Elsa and their three children were able to escape when […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that another activist has been killed and his colleague is facing serious threats. Environmental activist Elpidio de la Victoria, programme director of environmental organisation Cebu City Bantay Dagat Commission, was shot in front of his house in Barangay (village) Dauis, Talisay City […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding a brutal rape of two migrant workers in Thailand by a powerful businessman who is the son of a former member of parliament, with the assistance of a ranking police officer. Although the police have arrested and held the alleged perpetrator and a […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that at least 16 journalists were injured due to police brutality at the Bir Sreshtha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong on 16 April 2006. The police beat the on-duty journalists with guns, sticks, boots and fists. The perpetrators also damaged and confiscated the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding suspicions that an activist who was forcibly abducted and reported missing could be in the custody of the military. Activist Ronald Intal (24) was forcibly taken by armed men at around 11am near a motorcycle terminal in Barangay Balete, Hacienda Luisita on 3 […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned of the denial of right to education to a five-year-old child by the authorities in Sri Lanka. The child, whose name we withhold, was humiliated and ill-treated by his teacher at Buwanekabha Primary School. Soon after, the victim’s family lodged a complaint with the Maharagama […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the Sri Lankan Cabinet has decided to appoint a working committee of judicial officials and lawyers to consider solutions to the problem of court delays in Sri Lanka. A memorandum in this regard was submitted by Justice and Law Reforms Minister, Amarasiri […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that another activist was forcibly abducted and disappeared on 6 April 2006. Victim Dario Almonte was forcibly abducted in front of his wife Cherry and his six-year-old nephew at 6am in front of his sister’s house in Puyo Compound, Sta. Clara, Batangas City. […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the Bishwanath police in Sylhet district have deprived three victims, including an immigrant couple from the UK, from seeking justice by submitting a false investigation report. The Investigation Officer has allegedly taken bribes from the alleged perpetrators and submitted a final report to […]

Dear friends, Since last year, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has closely followed the case of U Aye Myint, a lawyer who was arrested at the end of August 2005 and imprisoned at the end of October for helping a group of farmers to lodge a complaint with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) over […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the President of Sri Lanka, Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse has written to the Speaker of parliament, Mr. W.J.M. Lokubandara urging him to make the appointments to the Constitutional Council without delay. Amidst mounting pressure to appoint the much delayed Constitutional Council, the President […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the brutal torture of OKD Kithsiri Dhanawardena by Ketapola police training college trainees. On March 25, Mr. Dhanawardena received a message from police trainees, Mr. Gunathilake and Mr. Jayarathne to come to the Ketapola training college for a cab hire. However, Mr. Dhanawardena […]

PHILIPPINES: Torture; unfair labour practices; violence against women; excessive use of force in dispersal of protest; denial of medical treatment; arbitrary use of authority by police; possible delay in adjudication of cases —————————————————— Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you about a violent dispersal of workers protesting inside the Cavite […]

Dear friends, On 12 March 2006, at about 6pm, an argument ensued between Sameera Harischandra and friends and four persons who were posing as ‘cattle traders’. After some time the four persons alighted from their vehicle – a white truck bearing the license plate 47-3692 – and walked up to Sameera and brutally assaulted him. […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with information regarding police in Nepal having detained more than 100 people for planning to defy a ban on public rallies in the capital, Kathmandu. The arrests come a day ahead of a planned anti-monarchy protest and four-day general strike by a seven-party opposition alliance. Though […]