Administration of justice

The New York based Human Rights Watch, in a statement issued from its headquarters, expressed deep concern that the only prosecution witness, willing to testify into the killing of five youth in Trincomalee, allegedly by the security forces, was under threat and said the government should ensure the safety of witnesses.   The statement:   […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has just learned that Ms Em Ponny had been assaulted by three of her superiors on 17 June 2006. Em Ponny is a teacher at the Wat Mohamontrey primary school in Olympic commune, Chamcar Mon District, Phnom Penh, and is a member of an independent teachers union […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Justino G. Aventurado of Tagum City, Mindanao has yet to issue arrest warrants for a military official and his men charged with murder. Please see our previous appeal to read the background of this case: UA-72-2005. Aventurado has […]

[RE: UA-216-2005: Soldiers kill nine farmers in Leyte, Visayas; UP-141-2005: Peasants were brutally massacred by soldiers; pregnant woman among the dead; UP-019-2006: PHILIPPINES: Possible irregularities in police investigation; survivor details brutal killings of peasants; UP-053-2006: PHILIPPINES: Commission on Human Rights (CHR) set to file charges against soldiers allegedly involved in killing peasants in Leyte] ———————————– […]

[RE: UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred; UP-24-2005: THAILAND: Thai minister refuses to act on missing human rights lawyer case; UP-37-2005: Thai PM orders action on missing human rights lawyer, while court hears of torture; UP-45-2005: Wife of missing human rights lawyer intimidated; […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that Mr. Sajedur Rahman Sarkar Sajid, who was entrapped by the police and intelligence agents on the instruction of ruling political party leaders, was arbitrarily arrested on the evening of 18 May 2006. He was then detained in relation to a fabricated arms case […]

[Re: UA-143-2004: THAILAND: At least 84 people killed in Southern Thailand on 26 October 2004; UP-65-2004: THAILAND: A list of the victims of the mass killing in Narathiwat province; Immediate international intervention needed; UP-25-2005: THAILAND: Three generals found responsible for mass killing transferred without penalty; UP-094-2006: THAILAND: Trial opens against 58 accused in Narathiwat protest; […]

[RE: UA-004-2002: BURMA: Arrested Professor prepared to die for democracy; UP-004-2002: BURMA: Who is Dr. Salai, Burmese political prisoner?; UP-019-2002: BURMA: Arrested professor sentenced to seven years jail; UP-016-2003: BURMA: Professor Salai Tun Than; UP-017-2003: BURMA: Professor Salai Tun Than Released] ——————————————————————— UP-123-2006: BURMA: Professor says he will launch new solo protest; passport illegally revoked […]

[UP-095-2006: BANGLADESH: Government names District Judge to conduct a judicial probe into the police brutality on journalists; RE: UP-089-2006: BANGLADESH: Government names the head of the judicial probe commission into the police brutality on journalists; UA-128-2006: BANGLADESH: Journalists beaten by the police at the Chittagong stadium] —————————————————– BANGLADESH: Torture; intimidation; threat; deprivation of professional duty; […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to raise its concern about a mysterious death of a young man and the possible cover-up by his father, who is a police inspector, surrounding the circumstances of the death. J. A. Upendra Gayan was 23-years-old at the time of his mysterious death on 2 April […]

As the government and combined military forces of the United States were cranking up and talking up the global “war on terror” in 2003, the Asian Human Rights Commission warned that deliberate efforts to undermine and relativise the absolute prohibition against torture in international law would spread and mutate into attacks on all vital principles […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of a disturbing incident that took place at the Wennipuewa police station on 6 June 2006, when two human rights defenders accompanied a torture victim to attend an internal police inquiry at the Assistant Superintendent of Police’s (ASP) office. The police inquiry was […]

On June 5, the regional office of the Commission on Human Rights in General Santos City, southern Philippines, formally informed torture victim Jejhon Macalinsal and two companions that it would take up their four-year-old complaint of torture against the police, if they decide to pursue it. A lawyer representing the commission told them to execute […]

The numerous appointments to key national commissions by the executive president, contravening constitutional requirements, are a very clear indication of Sri Lanka’s drift from a law-based society to one in which the law plays a significantly reduced role.  While criticism against presidential actions has pointed to matters including the fact that no person is above […]

[RE: UP-101-2006: BANGLADESH: Judicial Probe Commission ignores specific complaint against the Mohammadpur police; UP-096-2006: BANGLADESH: Court orders supplementary investigation following disputed Judicial Probe Commission report; UP-083-2006: BANGLADESH: Police defy High Court order by continuing to make threats; UP-062-2006: BANGLADESH: Harassment and threats continue towards victim despite a High Court ruling ordering the alleged perpetrators to […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 11, 2006 AS-104-2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission THAILAND: DSI director must be sacked and investigated In a May 9 letter to the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Justice in Thailand, the wife of disappeared human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit launched a scathing attack on the work […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 10, 2006 AS-101-2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission INDIA: Snail pace progress at the National Human Rights Commission the Commission must accept responsibility The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received a communication from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India on 9 May 2006, informing the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that Gerardo Cristobal, a labour leader who survived an attempt on his life on 28 April 2006, is reported to have been falsely charged with frustrated and attempted murder by the police. It is reported that Superintendent Efren Castro, Imus police chief, filed […]

Why is a police officer the director-general of Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation? The DSI was established under the Ministry of Justice so that it would not be subject to direct control of the police but still have full investigative power in special cases, including those where government or law-enforcement officers may themselves be suspects. […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2006 AS-092-2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) INDONESIA: Flawed state institutions unable to uncover Munir’s killers Close to two years after the death of Indonesia’s leading human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, little has been revealed regarding why he was killed and who was responsible. Local […]