Administration of justice

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that over recent months, members of various Cambodian security forces have in separate incidents shot and injured young women in Phnom Penh, shot dead a villager in Kompong Cham, and wantonly driven a car into a smuggler there, killing him on the spot. The AHRC has also […]

Since it was reported on April 26 that General Sonthi Boonyaratglin admitted that the Thai army and police are using “blacklists” to hunt for alleged insurgents in the south, discussion has turned on how the lists are being made. “One wonders exactly what sort of evidence is needed to have a person put on one […]

The murder of Inspector of Police (IP) Douglas Nimal and his wife, who with several other police officers were making allegations of high ranking police officers being involved in drug trafficking, casts a dark shadow on the capacity of the Inspector General of Police and other high ranking officers to maintain the rule of law […]

Violence is escalating in Sri Lanka, with an attack by a suicide bomber in Colombo on the army headquarters that has seriously injured the army commander and killed many others. In retaliation, the Government of Sri Lanka has ordered air and naval attacks on LTTE strongholds. The international media is announcing a “return to war” […]

[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 […]

(Kandy High Court case number 231/2005); and request for an inquiry regarding it The case of Mr. Chamilla Bandara was taken up yesterday, that is on 25 April 2006 at the Kandy High Court. The accused police officers did not appear for the case. The primary witness, the victim who was allegedly tortured by the […]

Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) again appears to have lost interest in the case of abducted human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit. After local human rights defenders obtained the cooperation of the Central Institute of Forensic Science to search an area of the Mae Klong River in Ratchaburi Province during late March, the DSI director-general, […]

Dear friends,   Please find a letter written to the international community by a group of Nepali activists being detained in Duwakot Armed Police barracks, criticising the response to King Gyanendra’s public address made on Friday April 21, 2006.   Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong   — To the Ambassadors Of the European Union […]

Today, April 24, Thailand’s daily newspapers reported that members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy were attacked in the northeastern city of Udon Thani. According to the news, hundreds of people stormed a meeting organised to discuss the current political situation and criticise the outgoing prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, and his Thai Rak Thai Party. […]

Dear friends, In February 2006, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wrote to you regarding the death of a man named Yupiter Manek who died on 23 December 2005 due to the alleged torture by the Resort Police Belu, Indonesia (to see the details of this case please refer to: UA-056-2006). The AHRC has now received […]

The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) expresses its deep concern and opposition to the decision of President Rajapakse to unilaterally appoint members to the National Public Service Commission and the National Police Commission, in violation of both the letter and the spirit of the . The justification for this intentional violation of the Constitution is […]

The Sri Lankan president’s direct appointment of commissioners to the National Police Commission and Public Service Commission is a serious setback to the little constitutionalism remaining in the country. These appointments have perverted the independent character of the commissions as established under the 17th Amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution. The root of the commissions’ […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the Sri Lankan Cabinet has decided to appoint a working committee of judicial officials and lawyers to consider solutions to the problem of court delays in Sri Lanka. A memorandum in this regard was submitted by Justice and Law Reforms Minister, Amarasiri […]

[RE: UA-74-2005: PHILIPPINES: Trial of three men yet to begin after three years; UP-78-2005: PHILIPPINES: Delay in trial due to possible neglect by the court and prosecutor; UP-108-2005: PHILIPPINES: Court commences trial of three men due to pressure following frequent postponement; UP-150-2005: PHILIPPINES: Chief State prosecutor acknowledges the allegations of illegal arrest, detention and torture […]

In blatant violation of Sri Lanka’s constitution, President Mahinda Rajapakse took it upon himself to appoint members to the National Police Commission and the Public Service Commission. These appointments bypassed the constitutional process, which requires the appointments to be approved by the Constitutional Council. Before granting approval, the council is to examine the merits of […]

[RE: UA-141-2005: BURMA: Alleged rape of a woman by two police officers in Twente Township; UP-008-2006: BURMA: Two police to go to court over alleged rape; UP-039-2006: BURMA: Unnecessary delays in trial of two police accused of rape; UP-039-2006: BURMA: Unnecessary delays in trial of two police accused of rape] ——————————————————————— UP-075-2006: BURMA: Two police […]

Dear friends, Since last year, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has closely followed the case of U Aye Myint, a lawyer who was arrested at the end of August 2005 and imprisoned at the end of October for helping a group of farmers to lodge a complaint with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) over […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is happy to inform you that Mr. Yun Il-kwan, the 36-year-old Korean farmer and last anti-WTO protester facing prosecution, was acquitted by the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts, Hong Kong yesterday. We wish to thank you very much for your great support in this case. On 30 March 2006, […]

Today, March 30, 2006 the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has nominated three outstanding widows of human rights defenders to receive jointly the prestigious 2006 , awarded by the May 18 Memorial Foundation, Korea. The three are: Angkhana Neelaphaijit, wife of disappeared Thai human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit; Suciwati Munir, wife of murdered Indonesian human […]

[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; […]