Arbitrary arrest & detention

BANGLADESH: Three persons faced detention in a fabricated case, lodged by illegal-sand-miners, who are being aided by ruling party parliamentarians

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding illegal sand mining in the Meghna River adjacent to the Mayadip and Nunertek islands. There has been an investigation conducted by the government of Bangladesh, following intervention by the Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing of the United Nation, which itself followed the […]

BURMA: Police torture man to death, detain mother, and obstruct justice

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police in Rangoon in July tortured a 39-year-old man to death during interrogation over a murder. Officers at the Mayangone police station allegedly illegally detained the young man and after two days notified that family that he had died in custody due to […]

PHILIPPINES: An appeal to the Supreme Court on plot to kill an activist

Dear friends, Further to our earlier appeal about the plot to kill human rights defender Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) urges you to write to the Supreme Court of the Philippines requesting that they urgently act on Tulawie’s petition to reconsider its decision to transfer him from Davao City jail to […]

PHILIPPINES: Plot to kill a human rights activist inside the jail

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed of a plot to kill a human rights activist, Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie, who is being prosecuted on fabricated charges inside the jail should he be transferred from Davao City to Manila. This plot is serious because the court has already postponed the scheduled hearing […]

SRI LANKA: Disappearance of land titles among other frauds

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to bring to the attention of the Sri Lankan public that we have learned about the massive frauds relating to tampering with land titles and also other frauds by the misusing the criminal justice process by way of fabrication of charges. The incidents narrated hereunder would explain the […]

INDIA: Vicious and brute force by the state against villagers and media in Khardrapani

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) that the Madhya Pradesh state administration has illegally arrested and detained activists associated with the NBA and villagers who were protesting against the increase of water level in the controversial Indira Sagar Dam in Khardrapani village of Harda […]

SRI LANKA: Continued detention of an innocent man for four years despite a release order from the court

Dear friends, According to information the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) received Mr. Thangaraja Ramesh Kumar (32) has been detained by the law enforcement agencies of Sri Lanka for more than four years despite the fact that the High Court ordered his release. After his arrest he was transferred from one police station to another […]

CAMBODIA: Two land rights activists imprisoned for their involvement in protests

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned about the recent arrests and detention of two land rights activists consecutively in just two days. They are currently being held in pre-trial custody for their involvement in land protests. Ms. Yorm Bopha (29), an outspoken Boeung Kak Lake village representative, was arrested on […]

SRI LANKA: Another innocent victim illegally arrested and tortured after the demonstration at the Thambuththegama Police Station

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that yet another innocent victim has been arrested and severely tortured by the Thambuththegama police in revenge for allegedly taking part in the demonstration held at the police station. Mr. D P Anil Thushara was a witness to the incident but did not take […]

THAILAND: Young man tortured and at risk of further torture in army custody

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission is deeply concerned about a recent case of torture in the south of Thailand. Romuelee Loh-oh, 21, was arrested under unclear circumstances, tortured and repeatedly interrogated under inhumane conditions. His family was subject to repeated, intimidating searches of their home. This case is indicative of the entrenched practices […]

SRI LANKA: An innocent 19-year-old was illegally arrested, tortured and forced to sign fraudulent documents by the Bandaragama police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Abasinghegedara Mahesh Niroshan Palamakumbura, a 19-year-old machine operator was illegally arrested, severely tortured and forced to sign fraudulent documents by police officers who wanted to use him as a witness against two others. After severely beating Mahesh they threatened to cut off […]

SRI LANKA: Yet another innocent man was illegally arrested, tortured and forced to sing fraudulent documents after being accused of participating in a demonstration

Dear friends, On 2 August 2012 around 3,000 people from Thambutthegama took part in a demonstration in front of the Thambuththegama Police Station. The demonstrators were carrying the dead body of a lady and blamed the police for bailing out a drunken driver of the vehicle that was responsible for the death of the lady. […]

BANGLADESH: A black hole for disappeared victims

The people of Bangladesh are scared. Incidents of abduction by plain-clothed people, who often claim to be law-enforcing agents of the country, are ongoing, without any indication of being on the want. The people of Bangladesh are scared because their brothers and sons are disappearing. The stories of disappearances are being exposed by the media […]

SRI LANKA: An innocent man was illegally arrested, tortured and laid with fabricated charges by the Bandaragama Police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Gallalagama Arachchige Thilanka Niroshan Gamaarachchi of Bandaragama in the Kalutara District was illegally arrested, detained and tortured by officers of the Bandaragama Police Station. Although he has presented his case to the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Horana the only action […]

SRI LANKA: An innocent man is illegally arrested, detained, tortured and forced to sign false documents by the Rattota Police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. G R Sampath Prasanna Piyadasa (37) is a three wheeler driver by profession. After witnessing a group of unknown persons damaging his vehicle he and his wife made a report to the Rattota Police Station. Instead of investigating his complaint the officers […]

SRI LANKA: A prisoner is in critical condition in hospital after being subjected to severe torture by prison officers

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Sundaram Sathies Kumar was a detainee under the prison authorities of Sri Lanka. As a result of severe torture suffered during his incarceration Sundaram is now in critical condition at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka in Colombo (NHSL). He is presently […]

SRI LANKA: Two more innocent men have been detained for almost three years without being charged

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Sivapalan Pradeepan (28) of Batticaloa was arrested shortly after his brother-in-law by officers of the Terrorist Investigation Department. After being assured that he would be released after a statement was taken from him Sivapalan was sent to the CID offices where he […]

THAILAND: Two young persons awarded 100,000 baht each for compensation as a result of being physically abused while being searched by security officer

For immediate release on 16 August 2012 On 9 August 2012, the Songkhla Administrative Court ordered the Office of Prime Minister as the agency in charge of Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 4 to provide compensation to Mr. Mazaofi Kwangbu, 20 years and Adil Samae, 14 years. The two young persons have filed charges […]

CAMBODIA: Independent radio director and Democrats Association president, Mam Sonando, is illegally arrested on charges of secession

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that Mr. Mam Sonando (70) was arrested from his home on 15 July 2012 by the police and was formally charged on the following day by Phnom Penh Municipal Court. The main charges against Mr. Mam Sonando include plotting secessionist movements in Kratie province, inciting […]

SRI LANKA: Complainant of human rights violation case is illegally arrested and severely tortured at the SP’s office of Negombo

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Dilshan Suran Janz (27) was severely tortured by police officers of the Negombo police because he refused to withdraw an earlier complaint of police brutality. He has been threatened with a fabricated charge of the possession of illegal substances if he continues […]