Arbitrary arrest & detention

SRI LANKA: Police severely torture a young man in custody

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a young man was arbitrarily arrested and tortured by the Kekirawa police while in their custody on 2 May 2008. The police also forced him into signing a statement, the contents of which were not revealed to him before they finally released him. […]

UPDATE (Sri Lanka): A police officer with pending case reinstated

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that a police sergeant, who was found by the court to have violated a torture victim’s fundamental rights and is still facing another charges for torturing him nearly two years ago, had been reinstated. UPDATED INFORMATION: We have already reported that on 21 […]

PAKISTAN: Anti nuclear demonstrators arrested, one activist remains missing

[NOTICE: The AHRC have 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 […]

SRI LANKA: Two persons disappear in separate incidents

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the disappearance of two persons, one of them a student, in separate incidents in February and May of this year. The student victim was taken by persons who were described as policemen into a white van. The other victim was last seen on […]

UPDATE (Sri Lanka): Life of Mr. Lalith Rajapakse likely to be in danger again

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Centre for Rule of Law (CRL), a human rights organisation working in Colombo, Sri Lanka regarding the case of Mr. Lalith Rajapakse, a victim of custodial torture. It is reported that Lalith’s life is at risk once again from the criminals operating […]

UPDATE (Philippines): More unsolved murders of crime suspects

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that another six persons have been killed on the pretext that they were either involved in criminal activities or had criminal records in General Santos City. The AHRC is seriously concerned by the continued failure by the concerned authorities to prevent these murders and […]

INDIA: Another forced displacement due to caste based discrimination

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Navsarjan, a human rights organisation working on Dalit rights in Gujarat, about a Dalit woman and her son beaten by upper caste persons, resulting in 18 days admission to a hospital. The perpetrators have prohibited the victims from using common land unlawfully occupied […]

SRI LANKA: Custodial death of young man

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the suspicious death of a young man in the Gampaha Police Station on 7 April 2008 after arrest. The police reported that he had committed suicide and when his relatives asked for an investigation no response has received. CASE DETAILS: According to the […]

GENERAL APPEAL (Philippines): Systemic failure to prevent a pattern of arbitrary deprivation of dozens of lives

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern regarding the continuing failure by the police and the local government to ensure protection and prevent the systematic murders in General Santos City. At least 29 persons, five of whom are minors, have already been killed from February 4 to May 16, 2008 […]

UPDATE (Sri Lanka): Continuous detention of journalist without charge

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an updated appeal received from Amnesty International regarding the case of a journalist, was in danger of losing his eye sight due to the lack of medical treatment (See further AHRC-FUA-004-2008). According to the information received, he was given medical treatment on May 9 and […]

SRI LANKA: Police fabricate charges against two men after assault on his private matter

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the assault of two men by police officers attached to Hikkaduwa Police Station on 2 April 2008. One police officer abused his position over a personal matter and assaulted them. He later laid fabricated charges against them. Although acknowledging this case, the OIC […]

INDIA: Student arrested for organising meeting against SPOs in Manipur

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Human Rights Alert (HRA), a human rights organisation working in Imphal, Manipur regarding the illegal arrest and detention of Mr. Sapam Cha Kangleipal, a student who was engaged in organising a protest meet against the recent recruitment of Special Police Officers (SPO) in […]

NEPAL: Four men tortured by the Udayapur district police while in illegal detention

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is concerned by the torture of four young men by the Udayapur district police during their illegal detention in March 2008. They all have been charged with attempted murder and are currently detained at the Udayapur district court awaiting trial. CASE DETAILS: (Based on the statements of the […]

PHILIPPINES: A farmer held five months on without charges in court

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that a farmer whom soldiers had illegally arrested and detained in 29 November 2007 has since been in jail without having been charged in court. He is detained at a provincial jail but there has not been a case filed against him in […]

GENERAL APPEAL (Burma): Forty prisoners killed during and after cyclone by shooting and torture

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that prison guards at the central prison in Burma allegedly opened fire on prisoners on 2 May 2008 at the time that the recent cyclone hit the country, killing 36 and injuring around 70. Another four prisoners were also allegedly tortured to death afterwards […]

CAMBODIA: Young man died in pre-trial detention due to medical negligence

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that a young man named Yan Sok Kea died on 28 April 2008 due to lack of medical treatment while in pre-trial detention in Prey Sor Prison on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. He was detained on 14 November 2007, fell ill while in detention, […]

SRI LANKA: Young boy reportedly severely tortured to obtain a confession

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the case of torture of a young boy by the Meetiyagoda police on 7 March 2008. According to information, police allegedly severely assaulted him and hung him over a beam on the roof while interrogating him. After this incident was broadcasted in the […]

UPDATE (Nepal): Torture victim under pressure to withdraw the case

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information from the Advocacy Forum, a human rights organisation based in Nepal, concerning the case of Mr. Umesh Lama. The AHRC had reported on 21 April, that after being arrested and tortured while in custody, Umesh is undergoing treatment for his injuries (See further AHRC-UAC-078-2008). […]

PHILIPPINES: Two persons held for days without arrest orders and charges

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that a businessman and his cousin had been illegally detained by a special investigating unit for days in absence of any arrest orders. They were taken into custody after the unit conducted search at their internet shop allegedly for committing illegal activities. Instead of […]

BURMA: Young woman and man illegally held and charged without evidence over protests

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that a young woman and young man are among those persons currently being tried in courts in Burma over their alleged roles in the nationwide protests of last August and September. The two were illegally held without charge for months before being brought […]