Arbitrary arrest & detention

BURMA: Former army officer illegally detained for three weeks, at risk of torture

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to draw to your attention urgently to the case of a former army captain in Burma who has been held in illegal detention for over three weeks. His family has not been able to meet him and his whereabouts are currently unknown, but he was last […]

PAKISTAN: Police officials kept newlywed couple in a private detention center and released them after receiving ransom, the couple is facing threats to their life

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a couple, who was missing after their arrest by police officers from two stations on the instructions of a high ranking police official, was kept in a private detention place unofficially run by the police, for many days where they were tortured and […]

PHILIPPINES: Hearing for administrative case on policemen who tortured a boy set for April 25

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) in Kidapawan City, a quasi-judicial body who will hear the administrative case on five police officers, including a police commander, for torturing a 17-year-old boy, is set to be heard on April 25, 2011.  UPDATED INFORMATION:  […]

BANGLADESH: Rapid Action Battalion fabricated charges against two cousins after four days of incommunicado torture Tweet

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), a military-dominated paramilitary force composed of armed forces and the police, held two cousins incommunicado for four days. The victims have been identified as Mr. Nahidul Haque Sazib and Mr. Kawsar Hossain Razib, who were arrested without any […]

PAKISTAN: Human rights defender first abducted by Taliban on charge of working for NGOs and then by the military for supporting the Taliban remains missing

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a person was abducted by the Taliban on suspicion of working for NGOs. After his escape he was then abducted by the military on suspicion of working for the Taliban. Mr. Hameed Ullah Khan, a human rights defender and social worker, was abducted […]

BANGLADESH: Rapid Action Battalion shot innocent college student into permanent disability and now threatening sympathizers to kill extra-judicially

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received credible information that the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has shot a juvenile college student causing a permanent disability in Jhalkathi district. On 23 March 2011, a team of the RAB-8 stopped 16-year-old Limon Hossen, who was an examinee of the Higher Secondary Certificate near to […]

BANGLADESH: Police enjoy impunity despite torturing villagers and sexually abusing women in Dinajpur

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received credible information that the Dinajpur police commited mass torture of villagers in Daptoir village of Biral upazila in Dinajpur district. The victims included men, women, children and the elderly. They suffered severe injuries and the women victims were sexually molested and abused. The police perpetrators […]

SRI LANKA: A man is under imminent threat of illegal arrest and torture

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Welgamgoda Aacharyage Upul Sanjeewa (27) of Kammalgedara, Pansala Road, Deniyaya in the district of Matara is in imminent threat of being illegally arrested and severely tortured by police officers attached to the Deniyaya Police Station. The police officers went to his residence […]

SRI LANKA: A man is severely tortured for questioning the torture of friend

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Sundaralingam Shashidaran (29) of 168, Dekinda Road, Bawwagama, Nawalapitiya in the district of Kandy was illegally arrested and severely tortured by the police officers attached to the Nawalapitiya Police Station when he went and demanded the reason behind the torture of his […]

PHILIPPINES: Torture of a 17-year-old boy at the Women and Children Desk at a police station

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that a 17-year-old boy was tortured on December 11, 2010 in the custody of the police. The victim, who revealed to his parents his ordeal only on February 26, 2011 due to trauma, was tortured at a police quarter and inside the Women […]

SRI LANKA: Police produced a man before court with fabricated charges after torture

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Allen Jo (29) 195/1 Welgampola Road, Nawawlapitiya in the district of Kandy was illegally arrested and severely tortured by the police officers attached to the Nawalapitiya Police Station on 28 March 2011. He was arrested accused for possession of drugs without any reason […]

SRI LANKA: Innocent man tortured to reveal identity of cattle thieves and as a result of complaining to the Human Rights Commission

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Marasingha Arachchige Maithree Narada (27) of No. 30/49,Wijaya Samarugama, Demanhandiya in the district of Gampaha was illegally arrested and severely tortured by the police officers attached to the Negombo Police Station on 27 February 2011. Narada was first tortured while he was […]

THAILAND: Seven years and the state’s failure to bring justice to Somchai’s abductors

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following statement from Cross Culture Foundation (CrCF). Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Statement from Cross Culture Foundation (CrCF) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission For immediate release on 12 March 2011 The seventh anniversary of the disappearance of Lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit Public […]

THAILAND: Justice for Peace Foundation calls Thai government to end arbitrary detention and to bring to light the fate of people who have been disappeared

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from Justice for Peace Foundation (JPF). Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Press Release from Justice for Peace Foundation (JPF) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Justice for Peace Foundation Tel. +66 (0) 2 […]

BURMA: Man gets ten years’ jail for emailing political prisoners’ photos

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to draw to your attention the case of a young man in Burma who has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for allegedly sending some politically oriented photographs through the Internet. Aside from the trivial nature of the offence and the fact that the police […]

SRI LANKA: Police tortured an innocent man with chili in his eyes and nostrils after illegal arrest

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Chaminda Sampath Wickrama Pathirana of Walgama, Bandaragama in the district of Kaluthara was illegally arrested and severely tortured by police officers attached to the Badaragama Police Station on 20 May 2009. At the time of arrest, when he was severely tortured or […]

SOUTH KOREA: 18 month-imprisonment of a man for his beliefs

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from ‘World Without War’, a non-governmental organization that Mr. Ahn Jihwan is currently detained at Youngdengpo detention center. He was detained on February 17, 2011 and will be released on August 16, 2012 since he received 18 months of imprisonment for his beliefs. Like […]

SRI LANKA: A man was brutally tortured by Anamaduwa Police on mistaken identity

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Koronchige Nihal De Silva (28) of ‘Ashoka Niwasa’, Parawakandagama, Anamaduwa in Puttalam district was illegally arrested and severely tortured by police officers attached to the Anamaduwa Police Station on 2 January 2011. He was hung on the beam and beaten with poles […]

SRI LANKA: Police brutally torture a man in revenge for complaining to the human rights commission

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Alahendra Acharige Dinesh Priyankara of Panadura North Police Division in Kaluthara district was illegally arrested and severely tortured by police officers attached to the Panadura North Police Station on 23 January 2011. Later he was brought to the station and questioned about […]

NEPAL: A young man is tortured by water-boarding during interrogation

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that policemen from the District Police Office, Banke, tortured a 19-year-old man to force him to confess his alleged involvement with an underground political party. The policemen resorted to water-boarding, a form of torture which consists of pouring water into the nose and mouth […]