Urgent Appeal Update

Dear friends, Regarding the military violence against Kebumen villagers on April 16-17, 2011, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learnt that there have been some legal proceedings against the villagers. Meanwhile, there is no information regarding any legal process against the alleged perpetrators. The reluctant and secretive nature of the military’s proceedings against the […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information from the Institute for Research, Recognition and Development of Legal Aid (LP3BH) in West Papua regarding the sentencing of another Papuan student and the acquittal of four others in relation to their involvement in a peaceful protest on 14 December 2010. While the […]

Dear friends,  Further to our last update, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that Melanie Cordon, a domestic worker convicted in absentia over a fabricated case, had chosen not to question her conviction but would rather to serve her sentence in prison in order to return home as soon as […]

Dear friends,  Further to our previous appeal, we have learned that Melanie Cordon, a domestic worker convicted in absentia, was told by a government representative that serving her jail term would be more convenient for her than questioning her conviction. The representative, however, is obviously not familiar with her case; and could not provide her […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the death in custody of a sixteen-year old teenage boy, one year ago in Rupandehi District. The boy was arrested by the police at 12.30 pm on 3 July 2010 regarding a lethal bicycle accident. He was dead when he was taken […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Melanie Cordon, a domestic worker convicted in absentia, has been neglected by the government agencies that have the legal obligation to provide her with assistance.  UPDATED INFORMATION:  On September 14, we reported that Melanie Cordon was convicted for four months over fabricated charges […]

Dear friends,  The Manokwari district court in West Papua has sentenced two peaceful activists to seven and a half months and two years imprisonment respectively. The trial was characterised by a series of violations of the Indonesian criminal procedure and appeared to be politicised and biased. The victims had participated in a peaceful protest in […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that Asraf Jamiri Musa, a 17-year-old Education student, who was tortured inside a military camp and charged with illegal possession of explosives after evidence was planted on him, has been temporarily released from detention to the custody of his parents. UPDATED INFORMATION: In […]

Dear friends, Similar to other cases raised with the Office of the Ombudsman, they also concluded to terminate two separate complaints, after years of investigating, against court personnel and the police officers for ‘having no power to discipline’ and for being “moot and academic” respectively. DETAILS OF THE TERMINATED CASE: Complaint vs court personnel: ‘No […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information concerning the criminal case against human traffickers in Varanasi. Unfortunately this time, the primary accused Mr. Parvez, his father Mr. Maulvi and four other thugs working under the instructions of Parvez, assaulted the primary witness in the case, Mr. Fulanu, inside the court […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that the land mafia of the coastal area of Karachi has abducted two fisherfolk activists, Mr. Latif Dorai and Bilal Ahmed Baloch on 18 July, 2011. The land mafia physically abused both and Mr. Latif was more seriously beaten whereas Mr. Bilal was […]

Dear friends,  Similar to other cases raised with the Ombudsman the office has also ceased its intervention in the complaint of torture by the three victims, collectively known as the ‘Talisay 3’, invoking the excuse that it is the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to investigate complaints of torture. While the Ombudsman […]

Dear friends,  Despite of our appeal, the Office of the Ombudsman also exonerated the policemen, who were responsible in filing a charge for “serious resistance and disobedience” on seven farmers and four minors, from liability for ignorance of the law. The charge that the police filed does not exist in the list of criminal offenses […]

Dear friends,  A journalist has been implicated in a fabricated case of murder by persons from the ruling party. The journalist was assisting a rape victim (a 14-year-old girl) and her family in the enquiry and providing legal assistance. He was the person who reported the case and lodged the First Information Report (FIR) against […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the abduction and murder of a businessman, Ram Hari Shrestha, by members of the Maoist party in 2008. Although five Maoist cadres have been charged in the case, only one has been arrested so far and was sentenced on 31 May by […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the case of Kiettisak Thitboonkrong that on 7 June 2011 at 9 am at the Criminal Court in Bangkok, the witness hearings of the defendant will continue in the case of Mr. Kiettisak Thitboonkrong, who was one of the 28 victims of […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information from the fact finding team that conducted a fact finding mission concerning two deceased fisher folk activists murdered by a land mafia on May 6, 2011. The police initially refused to register the case against the alleged murderers, and the Medico Legal Officer […]

Dear friends,  With regard to two cases that we have asked the Ombudsman to conduct investigations into one involved threats to the lives of an activist and his family. No investigation had been conducted in this case. They did investigate the second one which involved the torture of three activists but did not provide a […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the case of torture of Mahima Kusule, a 26-year old woman who was tortured by officers of the Dolakha Police on 14 July 2010 to force her to confess to a theft. On 22 May 2011, the District Court, Dolakha ordered compensation […]

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned that the witnesses and the family of torture victim, Jhon Paul Nerio, have either been offered bribes or are being intimidated after testifying in a trial against the policemen. The policemen were attempting to bribe them to retract their testimony and intimidate them to […]