Urgent Appeal Case

PAKISTAN: The police pour acid into the anus of a young man as he was unable to pay a bribe

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a young man was severely tortured in police custody for not paying a bribe in a theft case. The police used acid in order to torture him and his elder brother to force them to pay a bribe. Traces of acid were found […]

SRI LANKA: An innocent man is arbitrarily arrested, detained and brutally tortured by the Hungama Police as a substitute for a crime he did not commit

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Abeysinghe Gamachchige Manathunga, a farmer, was illegally arrested and tortured by the Hungama police simply because he happened to be in the right place at the right time. The officers needed to arrest a ‘culprit’ in order to fulfill the requirement to […]

SRI LANKA: An innocent man is accused of stealing a bunch of bananas and tortured by the police and Civil Security Force officers

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Weerasinghe Gamage Kularathne is a farmer by profession. On 16 January he was taking some bananas that he had cultivated to market in order to sell them when he was stopped by officers of the Civil Security Force. The officers accused him […]

PHILIPPINES: One farmer killed, three others wounded after they were shot for harvesting crops they cultivated on disputed land

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that a local peasant in Pampanga was shot dead in a violent confrontation on a piece of disputed land in Central Luzon. He and his colleagues were on their way to harvest their crops but were denied entry by the security guards of […]

WORLD/SRI LANKA: A human rights defender illegally detained and held without charge

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Ms. Balendran Jayakumari and her daughter Vithushaini (13) both were arrested on 13 March 2014, by officers attached to the Kilinochchi Police Station. Jayakumari has been active in the search of disappeared persons, including members of her own family for several years. She […]

SRI LANKA: A man is tortured and laid with false charges by the Balangoda police at the behest of a Pradesheeya Sabha chairman

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Yahaluge Wimalasiri (50) of Veliharanawa, Oluganthota, Balangoda in the District of Ratnapura complained to the chairman of the Pradesheeya Sabha for making indecent proposals to his wife. Subsequently he was severely beaten by the chairman’s supporters and then by officers of the […]

SRI LANKA: Authorities fail to investigate death threats and intimidation of a journalist

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Wiki Wikramarathna, a freelance journalist, videographer and blogger is under threat of death. Mr. Wikramarathna learned about a Singhala New Year Festival being organised by the Civil Security Committee of the Udyana Ward, Dehivala. This committee comes under the Ministry of Defense […]

SRI LANKA: Torture, inhumane degrading treatment and harassment of a prison officer

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Samarasinghe Arachchilage Samantha Dassanayake is a jailor of the Sri Lanka Prison Department attached to the Negombo Prison. He was illegally arrested and detained by the officers of the Seeduwa Police Station who allowed a ward member of Negombo Municipal Council and […]

SRI LANKA: Torture and fabrication of charges of an innocent man by an Estate Superintendent

Dear friends, Mr. Selambaran Wanaraja, a resident at the Hunnasgiriya Estate where he is employed obtained permission to collect fallen branches to use as firewood by the established means of applying in writing to the administration office of the Hunnasgiriya Estate. As he was collecting the firewood in the company of his friends he was […]

SRI LANKA: A man is arbitrarily arrested, illegally detained and brutally tortured by the Weligama Police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. A.H Ranjith was falsely accused by some neighbours of stealing a quantity of gold, arrested without warrant, illegally detained and brutally tortured by the Acting OIC of the Weligama Police Station. Complaints made to the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission, the Inspector […]

SRI LANKA: The life of a human rights defender is under threat

Dear friends, Sunil Samaradeera of No: 34/2, Baseline Mawatha, Borella, a human rights activist based in Wanathamulla, in Colombo District was abducted in broad daylight by persons believed to be connected to the Secretary of Defense. On 13 of February Sunil had met with the Secretary, Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, regarding issues concerning a housing scheme […]

INDIA: Custodial death in Manipur Dressed up as Suicide

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from civil society organizations based in Manipur, India, regarding the custodial death of Mr. Thoudam Digbijoy. Mr. Digbijoy was illegally detained in Wangoi police station, Wangoi Makha Leikai, Imphal West district, Manipur. On 26 February 2014 he was found dead, supposedly by suicide. This […]

NEPAL: Dalit women beaten for using public well in the Siraha district

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that six Dalit women of the Siraha district Nepal were beaten after an argument at a local public well. The non Dalit villagers entered the Dalit settlement and beat the women. The same Dalit women were also previously beaten for using the public well […]

INDONESIA: Police defy court order to pay compensation to shooting victim

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Indonesian Human Rights and Legal Aid Association (Perhimpunan Bantuan Hukum Indonesia, PBHI) in West Sumatra regarding the neglected judgments of the civil courts in the case of Iwan Mulyadi. Iwan, a 28-year-old residing in West Pasaman Barat of West Sumatera, is a victim of a […]

PHILIPPINES: A political activist and his family were shot at while asleep in their home

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that a political activist and his family were shot at while they were sleeping at home. The bullets pierced the wall of their hut and passed just inches from their heads. The shooting happened after the activist refused to join an armed militia […]

NEPAL: Family subjected to repeated torture for more than a year

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Forum for Protection of People’s Rights, Nepal (PPR Nepal) regarding frequent and continuous police torture inflicted upon a family throughout the last year. The police from the Metropolitan Police Range Hanumandhoka Kathmandu were involved in torture of a Thakur family living in […]

INDIA: Local police torture a lawyer in Thrissur, Kerala state

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the case of brutal attack by the local police of a lawyer, practicing at Thrissur courts. It is reported that the incident happened when the victim in the case, Ms. R. K. Asha, went to help her client and friend Ms. Neethu. The Sub-Inspector […]

INDONESIA: Padang police torture and shoot two men to obtain confessions

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Padang Legal Aid Institute (Lembaga Bantuan Hukum (LBH) Padang) regarding the shooting, torture, and fabrication of charges of two men by the police in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Despite their injuries, the victims have been denied adequate medical treatment as of today. LBH […]

PAKISTAN: A nationalist and political activist killed by law enforcement agencies after severe torture

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that officers of the law enforcement agencies abducted a young activist who was tortured to death in illegal detention. After the incident officers of these agencies threw the tortured and bullet riddled death body near the Bharia Road City Railway Station of District Naushero […]

PHILIPPINES: Another urban poor leader was shot dead after attending a meeting on housing in Metro Manila

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the killing of an urban poor leader after he attended a meeting on housing for informal settlers on 15 February, 2014 in Malabon City, Metro Manila. He died after being shot repeatedly in a crowded public market. CASE NARRATIVE: (Based on the documentation by […]