Urgent Appeal Case

NEPAL: Torture victim faces continuous death threats due to his complaints to the courts

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a reliable source regarding the constant death threats made against and the harassment of a torture victim by his perpetrators due to his legal action against them in court. The victim is a police officer who was arbitrary detained and tortured by his […]

INDIA: Murder, assault, torture, failure of rule of law and intimidation

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding continuing human rights violations in Manipur, India. The local police and the army under the cover of the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is engaged in brutal acts and their deeds are left unchallenged in all impunity. In a series of […]

INDIA: Slavery flourishing under police protection in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh State

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from our local partner, the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee for Human Rights (PVCHR), about bonded labour – effectively slavery – being practiced by brick kiln owners in Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh state, India. Dozens of families have reportedly been bought for small amounts of money […]

PHILIPPINES: Peasant leader killed while sleeping at his house in Surigao del Sur, Mindanao

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that a peasant leader of the Kapunungan sa mga Mag-uuma sa Surigao Sur (KAMASS) (Organization of Peasants in Surigao Sur) has been killed by unidentified gunmen while he was asleep in his house at Purok Brotherhood, Barangay Unidad, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur.  The […]

INDIA: Yet another attack on human rights activist in Belwa village, Uttar Pradesh

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding an attack on Mr. Issuk Ali, a human rights activist associated with the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR). He was visiting a primary school in the Belwa village in Varanasi to make enquiries into the Mid Day Meal scheme. However, his […]

INDIA: Local police assault an innocent person; force him to carry human excreta and register a false case against him

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the assault of an innocent person by the local police from Maleshwaramangalam, Thrissur District, Kerala state, India. Mr. Mohanan, son of Chinna, residing at Anappara House, Maleshamangalam, Thiruvilwamala in Thrissur District, Kerala was assaulted by Sub Inspector of Police (SI) V. Hamsa, along […]

BANGLADESH: opposition political activists beaten and arrested by the police during demonstrations and a country-wide strike

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the police have beaten a number of political activists and demonstrators during a nationwide dawn-to-dusk strike and peaceful demonstration programme called by a 14 political opposition party alliance on January 22, 2006. One leading activist was also arrested and later released. Reports indicate […]

BURMA: Two villagers jailed for reporting extortion

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Yoma 3 news service (Thailand) and other sources that two villagers in the Irrawaddy Delta region of Burma have been jailed after reporting to higher authorities that local officials had been extorting money from farmers. U Aye Min and U Win Nyunt […]

PHILIPPINES: Threats against activists; Government’s inaction to afford security and protection

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that three human rights activists in Baguio City, Luzon are facing serious threats on their lives.  They are Windel Bolinget, secretary general of the Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA), his colleague Joan Carling, and Manny Loste; regional coordinator of a local human rights organization. […]

NEPAL: Human rights defenders assaulted by personnel from the Royal Nepalese Army

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a reliable source regarding the assault of two human rights defenders by army personnel of the Ranadal Gulma on 13 February 2006.  One of the human rights defenders, Kalli Bahadur Malla was seriously injured by the assault and had to go to hospital.   […]

INDIA: Two peaceful protestors on hunger strike chained to hospital beds

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed regarding the chaining of two peaceful protesters to hospital beds in Puri, Orissa, India. Siba Shankar Sahu and Debadutta Pradhan, who were on hunger strike, were taken into custody by police and taken to Puri Hospital on 6 February 2006. The Police have admitted […]

INDONESIA: President refuses to grant clemency to Brazilian while two Australian nationals are sentenced to death

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information of two cases where President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has turned down requests for clemency against the death penalty.  The first request was filed by a Brazilian national, Marco Archer Cardosa Moreira, who is currently sitting on death row.  Marco was sentenced to death after […]

INDONESIA: Alleged extra-judicial killing of a man by the Resort Police of West Jakarta

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information on the alleged extrajudicial killing of Dayus (48) an entrepreneur, by the Resort Police of West Jakarta. At approximately 5:00pm on January 24, the Resort Police of West Jakarta arrested Dayus and Iwan, on drug charges following the discovery of drugs in their house. […]

INDIA: Gang rape of a tribal woman by upper caste men in Uttar Pradesh

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the People’s Vigilance Committee for Human Rights (PVCHR), a local human rights group working in Uttar Pradesh, India, regarding the gang rape of a young woman.  The woman belonged to the Nut Community (a scheduled tribe) in Sirsi village, Chandauli District, Uttar Pradesh.  […]

BURMA: Police severely assault young man and deny medical treatment

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been in contact with persons who have informed about a brutal assault by police on a young man, Ko Aung Myint Oo, who was beaten by a group of police in Mandalay division as they took him into custody on January 18. When they took him […]

NEPAL: Security forces kill one and arrest more than three hundred on day of illegitimate municipal elections

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding events that took place on the day of the municipal elections in Nepal on 8 February 2006. According to our sources, security forces opened fire on a group of peaceful demonstrators who had been organised by the seven political parties in Dang. As […]

SRI LANKA: Brutal assault on 14-year-old by his games teacher

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the brutal assault of 14-year-old Manoj Tillakaratne by his physical training teacher A.D.C Renuka on 31 January 2006. On January 31 Manoj had participated in a sports festival at school. Manoj had been taking part in the march when his physical training teacher, […]

INDIA: Arbitrary and continuous detention in Krishnanagar jail, West Bengal

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from our local partner in West Bengal, MASUM, regarding the arbitrary detention of prisoners in Krishnanagar jail. It is alleged that Mr. Israfil Mondal, Mr. Sabyasachi Goswami, Mr. Mantu Banerjee, Mr. Jalai Sk and Mr. Asok Sarkar have been arbitrarily detained at Krishnanager jail […]

INDIA: Fabricated case filed after shooting of Adivasi by Forest Department Official

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the fabricated case filed against Ramesh Narsibhai Vasava, an adivasi, after he was shot by a Forest Department Official in the District Surat, Gujarat, India on 25 July 2003. At around 3.00pm on July 25, Ramesh Narsibhai Vasava and another villager Mahesh Khotania Vasava […]

INDONESIA: A man allegedly tortured to death by the Belu police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Initiative for the Development of People’s Advocacy (PIAR) in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia that a man named Yupiter Manek (alias Igung) died on 23 December 2005 due to the alleged torture by the Resort Police Belu, Indonesia. Yupiter had been detained […]