Urgent Appeal Case

INDONESIA: Police burned a man alive over private matter in Semarang, Central Java

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Community Legal Aid Institute in Indonesia (LBH Masyarakat), a non-profit civil society organisation in Indonesia providing legal aid and building a community-based human rights monitoring system, that police officer allegedly tortured a man after illegal arrest and burned him alive in Semarang, […]

INDIA: Villager assaulted by police constable in Kerala

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Neervazhy, a human rights organisation working in Thrissur, Kerala regarding the case of assault by the local police upon an innocent person. It is reported that Mr. Kuttan while waiting for a three-wheeler to go home on 23 April 2008 was assaulted by […]

CAMBODIA: Police report a man drowned in water of hardly a meter depth

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that a man was found dead with a broken neck and severe injuries on his head in a river in Takeo province on 8 May 2008. The police have classified the case as accidental drowning. It is suspected that the man’s death was a political […]

SRI LANKA: Police fabricate charges against two men after assault on his private matter

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the assault of two men by police officers attached to Hikkaduwa Police Station on 2 April 2008. One police officer abused his position over a personal matter and assaulted them. He later laid fabricated charges against them. Although acknowledging this case, the OIC […]

NEPAL: Police illegally searched a human rights lawyer’s house in Banke district

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you regarding the illegal house search of a human rights defender Mr. Sushil Kumar Lakhe by the police in Banke district on 11 May 2008. Mr. Lakhe is a well known human rights lawyer in the area as well as the regional coordinator of […]

NEPAL: An alleged serious assault of a political activist by Maoists in Bhojpur district

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to bring your notice the cases of abduction and a serious assault which has not yet been adequately investigated and in which no perpetrators have been arrested. The incident appears to be connected with a political dispute between two area groups of the CPN-M, popularly known […]

INDIA: Student arrested for organising meeting against SPOs in Manipur

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Human Rights Alert (HRA), a human rights organisation working in Imphal, Manipur regarding the illegal arrest and detention of Mr. Sapam Cha Kangleipal, a student who was engaged in organising a protest meet against the recent recruitment of Special Police Officers (SPO) in […]

THAILAND: Websites are denounced for allowing forum discussions

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that two Thai websites (Fah Diew Kan and Prachatai) have been charged under Article 116 (2) of the Criminal Code for publishing discussions of a man’s refusal to stand during the Royal Anthem. This is in violation of the freedom of expression as set down in […]

NEPAL: Four men tortured by the Udayapur district police while in illegal detention

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is concerned by the torture of four young men by the Udayapur district police during their illegal detention in March 2008. They all have been charged with attempted murder and are currently detained at the Udayapur district court awaiting trial. CASE DETAILS: (Based on the statements of the […]

SRI LANKA: Police officer reportedly rapes a woman while conducting inquiry

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a police officer attached to Hakmana Police Station raped a woman in her house on March 9, 2008. She has complained to the relevant authorities. Please urge them to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation and to provide adequate protection and rehabilitation to […]

BURMA: Government officers force homeless villagers out of public buildings

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that hundreds of homeless cyclone refugees seeking shelter and food in Rangoon are reportedly being forced to vacate the places from where they stay. Officials are trying to force people to leave areas where they have gathered on various pretexts. CASE DETAILS: (According to […]

BURMA: Hardest hit Laputta Township yet to receive aid

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern over the continuing delay in provision of food aid, drinking water and needed medical attention to people in areas of Burma hit hardest by Cyclone Nargis, particularly in Laputta, in the Irrawaddy Delta. Several days after the tragedy, nothing has reached the survivors, […]

PHILIPPINES: A farmer held five months on without charges in court

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that a farmer whom soldiers had illegally arrested and detained in 29 November 2007 has since been in jail without having been charged in court. He is detained at a provincial jail but there has not been a case filed against him in […]

INDIA: Session’s judge supports caste based discrimination in Gujarat

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Navsarjan, a human rights organisation working on Dalit rights in Gujarat, about caste based discrimination practiced during village panchayat (village council) meetings since 2007. The victim in this case was denied the right to file a complaint with the local police and moreover, […]

CAMBODIA: Young man died in pre-trial detention due to medical negligence

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that a young man named Yan Sok Kea died on 28 April 2008 due to lack of medical treatment while in pre-trial detention in Prey Sor Prison on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. He was detained on 14 November 2007, fell ill while in detention, […]

PHILIPPINES: Soldiers continuously harass and threaten a union leader and her fellow workers

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that soldiers continuously threatened and harassed a union president and her fellow workers. The workers, presently holding a picket line in front of their factory, were questioned in separate occasions about personal details of their president. The soldiers were falsely accusing their leader as leftist; […]

SRI LANKA: Young boy severely assaulted by deputy principal

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that a young boy was severely assaulted by the deputy Principal in Galle on 27 March 2008. As a result of this punishment, he was admitted to a hospital for treatment.  CASE DETAILS: (based on the testimony of Uspatabandige Tharindu Ishan Gunasekara (11) and his […]

INDIA: Another Dalit murdered by the dominant caste members over the land dispute in Gujarat

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Navsarjan, a human rights organisation working on Dalit rights in Gujarat about the forced displacement of a Dalit (formerly known as ‘untouchable’) community as a result of the murder of a Dalit by upper caste persons. In August 2007, nine Rajputs (upper caste) […]

SRI LANKA: Young boy reportedly severely tortured to obtain a confession

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the case of torture of a young boy by the Meetiyagoda police on 7 March 2008. According to information, police allegedly severely assaulted him and hung him over a beam on the roof while interrogating him. After this incident was broadcasted in the […]

PHILIPPINES: Two persons held for days without arrest orders and charges

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that a businessman and his cousin had been illegally detained by a special investigating unit for days in absence of any arrest orders. They were taken into custody after the unit conducted search at their internet shop allegedly for committing illegal activities. Instead of […]