Arbitrary arrest & detention

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding Mr. Gregory Benedict Selvaraj in the Kandy Headquarters Police Division. On 26 July 2017, he was illegally arrested, detained, tortured and produced before the Courts by Police attached to the Kandy Police Station. There was nothing to show his involvement in any crime. He […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding the case of Sanath Kumara Wijethilaka (34) of Dambulla Headquarters Police Division, who was killed in the early hours of 5 September 2017. Sanath was a transgender man. His dead body was lying on the ground of a private van park in front of the Dambulla […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding Mr. Warnasooriya Patabandige Lakshan (21), permanent resident of the Trincomalee District. On 15 June 2017, Lakshan was illegally arrested by Police of the Kantale Police Division. He was not given any reason for his arrest. After detaining him at the Police Station, he […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding Sudath Darmapriya (40) of Kalawana, Minuwangoda in Gampaha District. Sudath has been missing since 12 July 2017. He is a permanent resident of Minuwangoda and a technician by profession. He was managing a Pandal, in Anuradhapura from 26 June 2017. He telephoned his wife […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information that Mr. Mahinda Dammika Manawadu was illegally arrested and severely tortured by police officers attached to the Padukka Police Station. After Dammika got into a dispute with the owner of the garage where his three-wheeler was under repair, the owner requested the intervention of the […]

Dear Friends, Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding Mr. Wasala Munidewage Ruwan Dharshana Premarathne (35) of No: 48/4, Opalgala watte, Pussella, Gammaduwa in the Matale District. He was illegally arrested, detained, tortured and produced before the Courts by Police Officers attached to the Paliyagoda Police Station. There was no evidence to show any […]

This week Just Asia begins with Burma, where many Rohingya are suffering horrific injuries and loss of limbs by landmines along the Burma-Bangladesh border in their attempt to flee the violence. After the militant Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) attacked several police posts on August 25, the Burmese government carried out a brutal counter-insurgency clampdown. […]

The mysterious death of 35-year-old Dev Bahadur B.K.on 30 August 2017 seems to involve the Ghorahi Sub-metropolitan police, Dang District. Dev was arrested at around 6 p.m. on August 29 by police officers attached to the Ward Police Station, Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan. Dev was drunk at the time of arrest, and was taken to the police station in […]

This week Just Asia begins with Burma, where Rohingya refugees continue streaming to Bangladesh after violence erupted in Rakhine state just over a week ago. Although the Bangladesh government has a zero-tolerance refugee policy, it seems that security officials are ignoring government orders and allowing refugees to cross the border. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has […]

This week Just Asia begins with Burma, where fighting has broken out once again in the state of Rakhine. Clashes between Burmese security forces and Rohingya militants have led to some 89 people killed, including 12 security force personnel. This is the worst violence to hit the area since October 2016, when a military crackdown […]

A joint statement of Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), World Sindhi Congress (WSC), Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) and Rightsnow on the  International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances Each year on August 30, the world stands in solidarity with the victims of the enforced disappearances and their families and vows to fight against […]

A Joint Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission, the Advocacy Forum (AF), Amnesty International, Accountability Watch Centre, Conflict Victims’ Common Platform (CVCP), Committee for Social Justice, INSEC, Inhured International, Peoples’ Voice, Voices of Women Media, NEFAD, DFHRI, HURFON and OHR, on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances The Commission of Investigation […]

Dhaka/Bangkok/Hong Kong/Manila: 29 August 2017: Bangladesh Government owes answers to the families of the victims of enforced disappearances regarding their whereabouts. Reports show that enforced disappearances, a ‘crime against humanity’ under international law, is being committed systematically since the incumbent government assumed office in 2009. However, the government denies the alleged incidents of enforced disappearances, contradicting […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the abduction and illegal confinement of a peasant, Nawaz. He was abducted by a local influential man, Umer Farooq, of Kot Momin District Sargodha. Nawaz’s wife, Amna, and her three children were forced to take refuge at the Hawa Shelter Home. Umer, […]

This week Just Asia begins with Hong Kong, where there is much protest and outrage against the jailing of three democracy activists for their role in the 2014 Umbrella Movement. Hong Kong’s High Court sentenced Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow to six-eight months imprisonment for the non-violent protest related crime of unlawful assembly […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding Mr. K.M.H Sudath, a resident of Kandy District. On 22 July 2017, he was illegally arrested and detained at the Headquarters of the Police Station in Kandy. Sudath is a victim of human rights violations. When the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (HRC) inquired […]

This week Just Asia begins with Thailand, where student activist Pai Dao Din has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for sharing a BBC biography of King Vajiralongkorn. Despite more than 2,000 people sharing the controversial BBC article on Facebook and millions reading it, Jatuphat was the only one arrested for lèse majesté. A […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) urges the Indonesian Authorities to ensure that cases of human rights violations that occurred in Papua must be investigated properly, under fair trial principles and the Rule of Law. In the last two months, the AHRC has documented and reported some three cases of serious human rights violations, as […]

Khaosod reporter Pravit Rojanaphruk charged with sedition and computer-related crime On 8 August 2017, Mr Pravit Rojanaphruk, senior reporter at Khaosod English, reported to the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) to hear his charges in two separate cases. First, Pravit is accused of sedition offence under Section 116 of the Thai Criminal Code and computer-related […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the disappearance of a young activist by the Pakistan Rangers. He was organizing villagers protesting the contaminated water provided by a multi-national Oil and Gas Company. At the time of his arrest, the activist was beaten by six Soldiers. He remained unconscious […]