Arbitrary arrest & detention

BURMA: Three men charged for harbouring a monk after 2007 protests

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that yet another three persons have been charged over the protests of last September 2007 in Burma. The three are charged with harbouring a monk who was involved in leading the protests, but as in other cases like it, the police have come […]

BURMA: At least three more rights defenders arrested over cyclone relief work

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that at least three more persons have been arrested in recent days apparently because of their work in relief efforts for the victims of Cyclone Nargis. The three are the chairman and members of the Human Rights Defenders and Promoters group. Meanwhile, a […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Lawyers demand adequate action, protection of witnesses

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that a group of lawyers in Mindanao has joined appeals for the authorities to exhaust every effort in solving cases of vigilante killings in Davao City and calling for an end to the killings. Their appeal came days after a police director tried […]

SOUTH KOREA: Arbitrary detention of a conscientious objector for disobedience

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a conscripted young man who objected to military service based on his conscience on 27 July 2008, received an order four times to join in order to disperse protestors, which he has refused. Based on this fact, the prosecutor who pleaded for an […]

UPDATE (Pakistan/USA): Dr. Afia’s health is in serious condition and two of her children remain missing

[NOTICE: The AHRC has developed this automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. Please click the button for your participation. We also encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to those people. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached below with this appeal. Thank you.] Dear friends, The […]

BANGLADESH: Student political leader held in detention for 19 months without trial or specific charge

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) that Mr. Mahfuzul Haydar Chowdhury Roton was arbitrarily arrested on 16 January 2007 by the Joint Forces. The authorities have detained him in prison under the Special Powers Act-1974, without any trial for any specific charge. […]

BURMA: Three more persons charged without evidence over September protests

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you of another three cases against three persons who were illegally detained after the protests in Burma last September against the rapid increases in fuel and commodity costs there. The three have been charged with a number of offences for supposedly distributing anti-government literature […]

SRI LANKA: Two young men severely assaulted; one has permanently lost his eyesight due to delayed medical treatment

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Pitabaddara police allegedly severely assaulted a young man after arresting him during which time they allowed another person to throw acid in his face. Police kept him for several days in custody, refusing to provide medical treatment. Due to the delay, he […]

CAMBODIA: Prime Minister Hun Sen’s nephew assaults a Member of Parliament

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that Prime Minister Hun Sen’s nephew, Hun To, ordered his bodyguards to attack a Member of Parliament named Nuon Vuthy on 19 July 2008 at the ferry pier of Prek Kdam in Ponhea Leu district, Kandal Province. It is reported that Hun To’s bodyguards repeatedly […]

UPDATE (Philippines): A police director tries to exonerate officers from responsibility of unsolved cases over lack of witnesses

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the police authorities, in particular in Davao City, are now trying to exonerate themselves from their continued failure to have each of the vigilante killings solve and effectively prosecuted, by putting the blame on either the lack of witnesses or refusal to […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Over twelve persons murdered separately, including two young boys

Dear friends, The Asian Human rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that vigilante groups have murdered another 13 persons, two of whom are minors, in separate incidents from February 2 to June 13 of 2008.   Of these, ten victims had been murdered in the city of Davao. Investigation into each of these cases has […]

SRI LANKA: Kandy police illegally detain and torture a school teacher

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Shanthigara Suresh Kumar, a teacher at the Trinity College of Kandy, was arbitrarily arrested and detained by the Kandy Police for 68 days. He was brutally tortured while in detention. The authorities have yet to take any action against the alleged perpetrators. […]

PAKISTAN/USA: A lady doctor remains missing with her three children five years after her arrest

[NOTICE: The AHRC has developed this automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. However, in this appeal, we could not include e-mail addresses of some of the Pakistan authorities. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to those people. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached […]

NEPAL: Police tortures a young man in Kathmandu

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that a young man whom five policemen severely tortured while in their custody nearly two months ago has continue to suffer poor health. The victim, who remains in detention, had been beaten with bamboo sticks on the soles of his feet, ankles, back of […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Solicitor General told to comment on the petition of Abadilla Five in ten days

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the Supreme Court (SC) has already required the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to comment on the Petition for Review on Certiorari the legal counsels of the Abadilla Five filed on May 5. The SC’s resolution was issued on June 16 but […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Police’ failure to solve “vigilante killings” aggravates murder

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been receiving information continuously that more persons have been murdered recently, including minors and women, on the pretext of “vigilante killings”. The police, once again, instead of thoroughly investigating each of these cases, justified the murders as being due to the victim’s criminal records. UPDATED INFORMATION: (According […]

PAKISTAN: A girl raped in custody by police officers and her sister kept nude in lock up

[NOTICE: The AHRC has developed this automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. However, in this appeal, we could not include e-mail addresses of some of the Pakistan authorities. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to those people. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached […]

UPDATE (India): Border Security Force continues to threaten victims’ families

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is informed by MASUM, a local human rights organisation in West Bengal involving the Border Security Force (BSF) officers stationed in West Bengal. It is reported that the BSF officers who killed two persons in December 2007, are now threatening their family to keep them silent. Despite […]

UPDATE (Thailand): A Commander tries to exonerate himself and his men over an Imam’s death

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed about the post-mortem court inquiry on June 30 into the death of an Imam while in military custody. It confirmed the earlier autopsy report that his broken ribcage and punctured lungs were a result of severe beatings. The Acting-Commander is trying to exonerate himself […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Court to hear case of activists, others falsely charged two years ago

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the five men, collectively known as the Tagaytay Five, whom we reported to have been missing but were later found in police custody two years ago, will have their petition seeking the dismissal of their case heard tomorrow, July 18. The five […]