Enforced disappearances and abductions

UPDATE (Sri Lanka): Abducted human rights defender is in imminent danger

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the detention and abduction of Sinnavan Stephen Sunthararaj, a human rights defender based in Jaffna, in Sri Lanka’s north, and is gravely concerned for his safety. Sunthararaj was abducted at gunpoint in front of his family by uniformed men less than three […]

PAKISTAN: Three journalists were arbitrarily arrested by notorious intelligence agency-I.S.I.

[NOTICE: The AHRC has developed this automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to them. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached below with this appeal. Thank you.]  Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information […]

THAILAND: Somchai Neelaphaijit–Reading between the lines (3)

Paper | Thailand | 12-03-2009

To mark the fifth anniversary of the police abduction and forced disappearance in Bangkok of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit on 12 March 2004, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is distributing a series of three extracts from the newly-released English translation of a book by his wife, Angkhana, first published in Thai to mark […]

THAILAND: Statement on the fifth anniversary of enforced disappearance of lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit

On the fifth year of the enforced disappearance of Mr. Somchai Neelapaijit, I and my family truly appreciate the attention the Abhisit Vejjejiva government gives to the case and that they promise to give priority to the case to search for truths, to uphold fairness and to bring to justice those responsible for the disappearance. […]

THAILAND: Somchai Neelaphaijit–Reading between the lines (2)

To mark the fifth anniversary of the police abduction and forced disappearance in Bangkok of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit on 12 March 2004, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is distributing a series of three extracts from the newly-released English translation of a book by his wife, Angkhana, first published in Thai to mark […]

THAILAND: WGJP raises disappearance of Somchai Neelapaijit at Human Rights Council

Geneva, 10 March 2009 — The Working Group on Justice for Peace met with the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) today to deliver a statement by Angkhana Neelapaijit on the fifth anniversary of the disappearance of her husband and human rights lawyer Somchai. In the statement, Angkhana welcomed the attention given […]

THAILAND: Somchai Neelaphaijit–Reading between the lines (1)

To mark the fifth anniversary of the police abduction and forced disappearance in Bangkok of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit on 12 March 2004, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is distributing a series of three extracts from the newly-released English translation of a book by his wife, Angkhana, first published in Thai to mark […]

THAILAND: 5th Anniversary, Disappearance of Somchai Neelapaijit

Somchai Neelapaijit has been missing since 12 March 2004, when he was last seen in Bangkok being forced into a car with a group of men. At the time of his disappearance, he was Chairman of the Muslim Lawyers Association and Vice-Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the Law Society of Thailand, and was […]

PAKISTAN: A girl was raped and kidnapped by the relatives of a minister and her whereabouts are unknown

[NOTICE: The AHRC has developed this automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to them. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached below with this appeal. Thank you.] Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information […]

THAILAND: Court due to release important verdict on disappearance case

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed by the CrCF (Cross Cultural Foundation) that the Provincial Court in Yala is due to give its verdict on 27 November 2008 on the disappearance of Mayateh Maranoh. Mayateh disappeared on the 24 June 2007 after he was last seen in the custody of […]

PHILIPPINES: Human rights activist disappears; subject of overt surveillance

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the whereabouts of an activist who disappeared on 17 September 2008 remains unknown. The victim’s disappearance took place after he had shared with his family that he noticed vehicles routinely following him from his house to his work. CASE DETAILS: (According to information […]

PAKISTAN: Three more women allegedly buried in same way as five women buried in Balochistan

[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 […]

INDIA: A girl kidnapped and forced into prostitution for two years but police do nothing

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed by Guria, a local human rights organisation based in Varanasi, India that a female minor, Maya, was kidnapped and sold by human traffickers.  The girl was sold to the owner of a brothel, held captive, raped, forced to become a prostitute, and tortured with […]

UPDATE (Nepal): A proper investigation is required on Arjun Bohadur Lama’s disappearance

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) would like to inform you that in August 2008, the Kavrepalanchowk district police finally registered a complaint made by a widow of Arjun Bohadur Lama, whose disappearance in April 2005 allegedly involved Maoists. It took over one year for the widow to register her complaint after the […]

BANGLADESH: Whereabouts of a man remain unrevealed after being arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion in Barisal

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that thewhereabouts of Md. Shafik Ullah Monayem, a politician, has not been known for 9 months following an arrest by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Barisal. His relatives have appealed to top officials, including the head of the government, since his disappearance but no investigation has been conducted. CASE DETAILS: Mr. Md. Shafik Ullah Monayem, aged 38, was aformer cultural affairs secretary of the Barisaldistrict unit of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (student wing of the Bangladesh Awami League). He was an inhabitant of Kuniya area of Barisalcity, a southern city of Bangladesh, around […]

INDIA: Fifteen-year-old girl abducted and sold while police did nothing

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Guria, a local human rights organisation in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh that a 15-year-old girl was abducted by human traffickers, and sold for sexual exploitation.  In the absence of any police assistance or investigation, the father of the child contacted Guria to rescue his […]

PAKISTAN: Government should release all disappeared persons in custody of police and intelligence services

The forced disappearances of political opponents by the state intelligence services continues in spite of newly elected government’s claims that the issue will be solved when the coalition partners come into power. However, since the formation of the mew government no serious moves have been initiated to address the issue. on the contrary, the state […]

THAILAND: WGJP calls on government to ratify the Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances

Bangkok, 29 August 2008 – On the occasion of International Day of the Disappeared, the Working Group on Justice for Peace (WGJP) calls on the Thai government to ratify the new Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances as reports of this atrocious crime being committed by state forces continue to surface […]

PAKISTAN: Murder of mother and daughter on the pretext of honour killing

[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 […]

PHILIPPINES: Four activists receiving threatening messages for investigating disappearance

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern that four human rights activists, all of whom are staff members of the Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights (KARAPATAN) in Cebu City, have been receiving threatening messages on their mobile phones. The message contains warning they will “suffer the consequence” if […]