Urgent Appeal Case

PHILIPPINES: Soldiers assault and illegally detain seven construction workers

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that seven construction workers were illegally arrested and held by soldiers over allegations that they were constructing a house for a rebel leader. The workers, however, were neither working for a rebel leader nor involve in any rebel group. They are heads of […]

SRI LANKA: Police allegedly threatened a complainant to withdraw his case

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Ahungalla police threatened and pressurized a family who lodged a complaint about a teacher’s assault on their son on January 30, 2009. Police visited the school but did not conduct a proper inquiry. The matter was then referred to the Mediation Board. […]

PAKISTAN: A young couple is in hiding after a tribal court sentenced them to death for their inter-tribal marriage

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that two young Pakistanis who chose to marry out of their tribal boundaries are currently in hiding, after the leaders of both tribes sentenced them to death in a jirga, or tribal court. The pair has a baby, and the husband’s family members have […]

BURMA: Citizenship of family revoked and members given long jail sentences

Dear friends,  In recent weeks there has been a great deal of news internationally about the plight of Rohingya leaving from western Burma in boats whom navy and security personnel of Thailand have pushed back into the ocean. In order to illustrate some of the problems that they face in Burma, the Asian Human Rights […]

INDIA: Dalit boy tortured and humiliated at a police station in Kerala

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Nervazhi, a human rights organisation based in Kerala, India about the case of a Dalit boy, who was tortured and humiliated by the local police in Kerala. The AHRC is informed that a Sub Inspector of Police, Mr. Balachandran, who took Nithish Lal, […]

SRI LANKA: Suspicious death after being assaulted in prison

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the assault and subsequent death of a man in Wariyapola prison on December 22, 2008. He was severely assaulted by prison guards and left without medical attention even though he had sustained serious injuries. He was transferred to another prison where he was […]

INDONESIA: Torture and maltreatment of political prisoners in Papua

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that we have received information of detainees being tortured and ill-treated by prison officials in Abepura Prison, Papua province, Indonesia. According to the information received seven persons were tortured from February 1, until February 5, 2009. They were reportedly beaten and put in […]

INDONESIA: Police violence and arrest of protesters and denial of their legal representatives

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Mobile Brigadier (Brimob) Unit of Central Java Regional Police attacked Sukolilo villagers in Kedomulyo, Pati, Central Java with disproportional and indiscriminate use of force in order to disperse a protest demonstration on January 22, 2009. The attacks injured several villagers and damaged […]

SRI LANKA: Police assault a boy and arbitrarily detain him

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Vilgamuva police officers have assaulted a school child and arbitrarily detained him in custody. The Officer-in- Charge, a Sergeant and a female police constable are directly responsible for the incident of an assault on a child in custody following arbitrary detention.  CASE DETAILS: (based […]

THAILAND: Threats to human rights defenders in the South

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Working Group on Justice for Peace (WGJP) that a group of soldiers and police raided the branch office of WGJP in Pattani province in the South. It took place after the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) made a report, which in fact […]

INDIA: Intoxicated police officers assault 12 families in Varanasi

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Savitribhai Phule Women’s Association and the People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) about an incident in which intoxicated police officers assaulted the members of 12 families in Varanasi. It is reported that the police officers who attacked the families at night did […]

BURMA: Man jailed over footage of army-confiscated farmlands

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has obtained details of the charging, sentencing and imprisoning of a man in Burma for helping farmers to lodge complaints about confiscation of land in the central part of the country. Ko Zaw Htay was found guilty of giving out official secrets and sentenced to ten years’ […]

PAKISTAN: A girl was raped and kidnapped by the relatives of a minister and her whereabouts are unknown

[NOTICE: The AHRC has developed this automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to them. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached below with this appeal. Thank you.] Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information […]

BURMA: Three men sentenced in another evidence-free case

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been collecting and documenting cases of illegal arrest and imprisonment of persons accused in relation to the September 2007 protests in Burma. In this appeal we give the details of another three persons who in December were convicted without evidence on charges of having attempted to […]

INDONESIA: Police allegedly kill villagers and destroy their property in Papua

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man was shot dead by police constables allegedly under the influence of liquor in Teminabuan, south Sorong Regency, West Papua Province at midnight of December 31, 2008. Angry villagers have protested against the killing and in the ensuing violence a police officer […]

PAKISTAN: Female students are targeted by Islamic fundamentalists

[NOTICE: The AHRC has developed this automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. However, in this appeal, we could not include e-mail addresses of some of the Pakistan authorities. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to them. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached below […]

BURMA: Another 14 people wrongly convicted over September 2007 protests

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been collecting and documenting cases of illegal arrest and imprisonment of persons accused over the September 2007 protests in Burma. In this appeal we give the details of another 14 persons who in November were convicted without evidence on a variety of offences.  CASE DETAILS  The […]

PAKISTAN: Military ignores tribunal’s decision

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding a case where the military officials are continuing to ignore a court order. The decision made by the Federal Service Tribunal (FST) concerning the employment of two peasants, formerly employed by the military, is yet to be complied with.  CASE DETAILS:  Mr. James […]

BURMA: Thirteen people wrongly convicted over alleged illegal organization

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received detailed information on the case of 13 people who have been imprisoned for supposedly having set up and participated in an illegal organization that was involved in the September 2007 protests against the government in Burma. The group have been convicted even though a like […]

INDIA: Poor policing results in crime and communal violence in Manipur

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a human rights organisation based in Manipur state that a violent incident involving local drug smugglers and underground militant organisation has resulted in the death of two persons and injured three others. It is reported that in a conflict between two rival groups […]