Arbitrary arrest & detention

The Asian Human Rights Commission is pleased to announce the release of the 12th episode of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup. We start this episode with a special AHRC report on the sham Bangladesh national elections which were boycotted by the main opposition party. The elections were marred by violence and the lack of legitimacy […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is pleased to inform you that the three community organizers whom were reported to have been illegally arrested, tortured, detained and falsely charged in November 2009, have been released after they were exonerated from the charges against them. UPDATED INFORMATION: In our appeal in February 2010 (AHRC-UAC-005-2010), […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information on the torture case of June 2013 of six minors and young adults in Jakarta. As of yet, criminal investigation of their torturers is yet to take place. Four of the six victims have been falsely convicted of murder. The Jakarta courts have […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is pleased to inform you that an ailing man whom we reported earlier to have been arrested and detained in place of another man wanted for murder will be released today. The police arrested him, not because he was the real suspect, but because he ‘looked the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) concerning the death of a man in police custody in Bau-Bau. KontraS and Buton Raya Legal Aid Institute (LBH Buton Raya) reported that bruises were found on the victim’s body, raising the strong […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from civil society groups regarding death threats, arbitrary detention and harassment of members of the Meyor community, a group of indigenous people in Arunachal Pradesh. They are being targeted for their activities on conservation of community land and natural resources. The Meyor community with […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a lawyer who was contesting cases of missing persons in the Balochistan High Court and a Baloch child were abducted by security forces and people in pain clothed. There are reports from different websites that the persons in military uniforms and plain clothes […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the imminent threat of arrest and harassment of New Delhi based journalist, feminist activist and human rights defender Ms. Sheeba Aslam Fahmi. She informed AHRC that in August 2012, she received email from unknown source threatening her of dire consequences for expressing her […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from human rights activists based in North East India regarding the arbitrary arrest of two persons by fabricating charges in connection with the killing of human rights defender Mr. Manoj Konwar. Mr. Manoj Konwar was working with Assam based human rights organization Manab Adhikar […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal coming from Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka received through the Sri Lanka Campaign Newsletter. If you wish to make inquiries into this incident kindly contact: Mr, Bashana Abeywardane Coordinator – Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka  Email: convener@jdslanka.org You may also […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Chithra Kumar (32) of Wattala in Nuwara Eliya District was arrested by officers from the Colombo Narcotics division and tortured in an effort to extort money from him. Kumar is a legitimate gold dealer who was arrested after returning from a business […]

Dear friends,  We wish to share with you the following statement from the Free Zara Alvarez Movement. Asian Human Rights Commission  Hong Kong ————- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-FST-046-2013 October 30, 2013 A Statement from the Free Zara Alvarez Movement forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission PHILIPPINES: 365 Days of unjust Imprisonment – Free Zara […]

Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, globally known to have critiqued the incumbent government of Bangladesh against its human rights abuses, has been released from prison today, October 11, 2013, after 62 days of prolonged arbitrary detention. It was back in August 10 that officers from the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrived at Adilur’s Dhaka […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information on the arrest of Mr. Jayantha Aberatne, a security officer who was falsely charged with theft and tortured to confess by the Headquarters Inspector of Teldiniya. This case is an example of the inability of the Sri Lankan police to conduct proper criminal investigations […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about Mr. Balasundaram Jeyamagudam who was arrested by the TID on the charge of being associated with the LTTE four years after the civil war ended. Mr. Balasundaram had never had any connection with the LTTE and his wife believes that the reason for […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Velu Yogarasa was arrested and detained in Bogambara remand prison by the TID in August, 2008 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. He was severely tortured in custody on several occasions by the prison officers. CASE NARRATIVE: Mr. Velu Yogarasa (26) of […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the torture of a Papuan man by police and military officers. The victim was detained for 12 hours and subjected to beatings and whippings from which he suffered various injuries on his body. It has been reported that the victim now has difficulty […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that three young men from Sindh province were taken into custody from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, by personnel from the security forces. Their arrest prompted continuous protests from Sindh nationalists following which ISI personnel informed their family members that they are detained […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the dispersal of peaceful demonstrations in Papua to commemorate the International Day of Democracy. Following the dispersal, 71 people participating in the demonstration were arrested and released after being detained for hours in several police stations. CASE NARRATIVE: According to a local activist, […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the torture of two men arrested in Kathmandu on 12 August 2013. They were tortured continuously for twelve days. They had been remanded into custody by the Chief District Officer, a government employee with quasi-judicial powers, a legal provision which the Supreme Court […]