Administration of justice

CAMBODIA: Investigation of 1997 grenade attack on peaceful demonstrators must be conducted effectively and report made public

On 30 March 1997 Sam Rainsy–now leader of Cambodia’s opposition party–organised and led a peaceful demonstration in front of the National Assembly in Phnom Penh. The rally was called to protest at the corrupt judiciary, which then as now was under the control of the dominant Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). Approval had been obtained for […]

UPDATE (Nepal): Constant threats and harassment of torture victim by the perpetrators

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding another threat to a torture victim, Mr. Hom Bahadur Bagale by the police administration, which are responsible for investigating his torture incident. The victim was arbitrary detained and tortured by his senior officers in November 2002 because he refused to do work […]

UPDATE (Sri Lanka): Murdered torture victim’s family demands speedy justice

Dear friends, In 2001, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) reported on the death of Mr. Lasantha Jagath Kumara, who after five days of illegal detention and brutal torture at the hands of the Payagala police, finally succumbed to his injuries on 20 June 2000. After a long delay in investigations and a further delay […]

SRI LANKA: Fear syndrome may also extend to Auditor General’s department

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 28, 2006 AS-051-2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) SRI LANKA: Fear syndrome may also extend to Auditor General’s department Reports following the attack by Sri Lanka’s Treasury Secretary on the Auditor General indicate there is a deliberate attempt to intimidate and undermine the Auditor General’s Department. On […]

UPDATE (Sri Lanka): Fundamental rights application to proceed in case of brutal assault against a 14-year-old boy

[RE: UP-033-2006: SRI LANKA: Threats to 14-year-old boy and his family to withdraw complaint of brutal assault by teacher; UA-060-2006: SRI LANKA: Brutal assault on 14-year-old by his games teacher] ———————————– UP-056-2006: SRI LANKA: Fundamental rights application to proceed in case of brutal assault against a 14-year-old boy SRI LANKA: brutal assault of a minor; […]

THAILAND: No obligations, just public relations

An article in Friday’s Thai Day supplement to the International Herald Tribune quoted an officer of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) working on the case of abducted human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit as saying that “the case is proving very difficult” because “the DSI only took up the case late last year” (‘DSI condemned […]

UPDATE (Sri Lanka): Justice continues to evade victim one and a half years after his assault

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the failure to investigate the brutal assault on Rathnasiri Senadheera by Superintendent of Police Saliya, the former Officer In Charge(OIC) of the Horana police station (see further: UA-141-2004). On 29 September 2004, Mr. Senadheera visited his brother who was in custody at the […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Commission on Human Rights (CHR) set to file charges against soldiers allegedly involved in killing peasants in Leyte

[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 […]

SRI LANKA: Auditor General under attack

While the incident of two Supreme Court judges resigning on the basis of matters of conscience is still very much a part of the public debate, the Auditor General of Sri Lanka has now also come under attack by the government.  The attacks have come in response to several critical reports published by the Auditor […]

CAMBODIA: Restrictive law on demonstrations will further consolidate dictatorial rule

The latest draft of Cambodia’s law on peaceful demonstrations is so restrictive, that if adopted, the Cambodian people will be unable to exercise their rights to demonstrate and express their opinion at all. This law is the latest move by the government to institutionalise restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly (see AS-038-2006 for further discussion). Such […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Torture victim denied treatment while police director exonerates his men’s acts as justifiable

[RE: UA-251-2005: PHILIPPINES: Brutal torture of a 25-year-old man over mistaken identity in General Santos City, Mindanao; UP-007-2006: PHILIPPINES: Investigation into the brutal torture of a man by mistaken identity begins] ———————————– UP-047-2006: PHILIPPINES: Torture victim denied treatment while police director exonerates his men’s acts as justifiable PHILIPPINES: Torture; denial of detainees’ rights to medical […]

UPDATE (Indonesia): Parliament must formally revoke 2001 recommendation and call for ad hoc human rights court to prosecute Trisakti and Semanggi killings

[RE: UA-23-2002: Sign petition for attorney general to bring justice to May 1998 riot victims; UP-81-2005: Attorney General Refuses to investigate gross violations of human rights that were committed at Trisakti/Semanggi; UP-102-2005: House of Representatives must recommend the establishment of an ad-hoc human rights court on the Trisakti/Semanggi killings in its coming plenary session.] ———————————————————————- […]

SRI LANKA: Draft Contempt of Court Act must be enacted promptly

In an attempt to fill Sri Lanka’s legal lacuna, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka has adopted a draft Contempt of Court Act to be submitted to the government this month, March 2005. The draft broadly incorporates principles embodied in the United Kingdom Contempt of Court Act (1981) and the Indian Contempt of Court Act […]

UPDATE (Indonesia): President must take firm steps to ensure investigation of Munir’s death follows court recommendations

[RE: UA-164-2004: The family receives death threats for demanding an impartial inquiry into the death of Munir; UP-30-2005: Unveiling of suspect in Munir’s death may end further inquiries; UP-47-2005: State intelligence officers delay Munir investigation; UP-72-2005: Mandate of fact-finding team into Munir’s murder should be extended and made more effective; UP-83-2005: Police fail to follow […]

UPDATE (Sri Lanka): Supreme Court granted leave to proceed in a brutal torture case filed by Chamara Nimantha

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the torture case of Chamara Nimantha who was brutally tortured and had fabricated charges laid against him by the police officers of the Poddala Police in Galle district on 1 August 2005 (See further: UA-182-2005). According to the information we have received, on […]

UPDATE (Burma): Unnecessary delays in trial of two police accused of rape

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed through staff of the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) that the trial of two police officers charged with rape in central Burma is being unduly delayed through various tactics used by the accused. Meanwhile, the victim of the attack, Ma Soe Soe, has continued […]

UPDATE (Thailand): Attacks on Director of Central Institute of Forensic Science over ‘5 bullet suicide’ case

[RE: UA-107-2005: THAILAND: Police lodge defamation charges against forensic scientist over “5 bullet suicide” case; UP-135-2005: THAILAND: Defamation case dropped but police insist on “5 bullet suicide”] ———————————– UP-038-2006: THAILAND: Attacks on Director of Central Institute of Forensic Science over ‘5 bullet suicide’ case THAILAND: Extrajudicial killing; impunity; criminal defamation; challenges to the integrity of […]

NEPAL: Torture victim faces continuous death threats due to his complaints to the courts

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a reliable source regarding the constant death threats made against and the harassment of a torture victim by his perpetrators due to his legal action against them in court. The victim is a police officer who was arbitrary detained and tortured by his […]

BURMA: Two villagers jailed for reporting extortion

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Yoma 3 news service (Thailand) and other sources that two villagers in the Irrawaddy Delta region of Burma have been jailed after reporting to higher authorities that local officials had been extorting money from farmers. U Aye Min and U Win Nyunt […]

UPDATE (Sri Lanka): Supreme Court granted to leave to proceed in a torture case for the compensation filed by S.A. Akila Chaturanga

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding a torture victim S.A. Akila Chaturanga who was arbitrarily tortured by the Horana police on the allegation of stealing cattle on 22 December 2005 (See further: UA-006-2006). According to the latest information we have received, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka granted to […]