Enforced disappearances and abductions

The authorities in Thailand have abandoned any pretence that they are trying to resolve the disappearance of well-known human rights defender and lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit. After initially reacting to domestic and international outcry (see AHRC statement AS-07-2004, 18 March 2004), they seem now to be concerned only with deflecting criticism, obscuring the truth and discouraging […]

Disappearance of Thai human rights defender cause for grave concern What has happened to Somchai Neelaphaijit, and why hasn’t the government of Thailand so far been able to reveal the circumstances of his disappearance? Reports indicate that Mr Somchai, who is a prominent lawyer and human rights defender from the south of the country, was […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Forum-Asia that a prominent human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit is missing since 12 March 2004. We are forwarding the statement of Forum-Asia regarding this matter. It is reported that Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit’s human rights activities in Southern Thailand have created tension within […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 30-year-old woman named Ms. Hidayat was allegedly killed by her husband, Mr. Momin Ali Mahar in Dal village, Lakhi Ghulam Shah Town, Shikarpur District, Sindh Province, Pakistan on 29 February 2004. The case was registered at the Chak Police Station. However, a human […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a reliable source of extra-judicial killings of two young girls and one young boy, Reena Rasaili (18), Subhadra Chaulagain (17) and Tasi Lama, by security personnel in Pokahari Chauri-4, Kavre District in Nepal on 13 February 2004. It is alleged that Reena Rasaili […]

Dear friends, Disappearance of 26 year old man after arrest and torture by Watthegama Police officers in Kandy District Victim: Saliya Padma Udaya Kumara (26 years old) Date of incident: from 26 August to 28 August 2003 Alleged Perpetrators: Police officers at Watthegama Police Station in Kandy District DETAILD INFORMATION: (based on the statement from the victim’s […]

Dear Friends The two cases below are viewed in the larger context of the deterioration of the situation for human rights activists, humanitarian workers and civil society at large. PBI (Peace Brigades International) is an international non partisan volunteer organisation dedicated to making space for peace in various conflict areas, and is particularly concerned about […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission Since 2000, the Kwangju Human Rights Award is presented yearly in honor of the 1980 Kwangju Uprising, where the Kwangju people fought against the military take over of their country and 240 Kwangju citizens were martyred for the cause.  The award  ris presented to a person who […]

SITUATION: On 21 April 2003 five Human Rights activists were abducted and two of them tortured and killed in Naujan Town, Oriental Mindoro province, Southern Tagalog. The bodies of Eden Marcellana, Secretary General of the Alyans sa Pagsusulong ng Karapatang Pantao in Southern Tagalog (Karapatan-ST), and Eddie Gumanoy, Chairperson of the peasant group, KASAMA-TK (Kasapian ng mga […]

Dear Friends Tiananmen Mothers and the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) are both members of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), a federation of organizations concerned about the phenomenon of involuntary disappearances in China, India (Kashmir), Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand. They have started a hunger strike to press the […]

Dear Friends Disappeared Persons in Kashmir Parvez Imroz The Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons, since its formation in 1994, has been campaigning against Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (EID) in Jammu and Kashmir State. The association from time to time has highlighted the plight of EID, but the government remains indifferent to their problems. In […]

SITUATION: Two Human Rights activists, Mukhlis Ishak, aka Choy, 27 yrs old, from Darussalam Banda Aceh, and Zulfikar, aka Joul, 24 yrs old, from Kramat Banda Aceh, have disappeared. The Banda Aceh Legal Aid Institute (LBH Banda Aceh) has found proof of the kidnap and disappearance of the two men. On Thursday, 27 March, 2003, […]

Regarding our previous appeal on the case of missing after 8 days of illegal detention in police custody in Sri Lanka (see at http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2003/394/), the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the victim, KORALAGAMAGE Sujith Dharmasiri (23) was produced before a magistrate after frantic search by parents, a human rights organization and […]

This is an update on the attack at the office of IDAR-O-INSAF (Institute for Justice and Peace) on 25 September 2002, which left seven activists dead and one seriously injured. The sole witness of the incident, Mr. Robin Peeran Ditta (32) was kidnapped by the police and later released. Actually, Mr. Ditta had been illegally […]

A case of gang rape and sexual exploitation against Dalit minor girl INDIA: Caste based discrimination – a distinct case of racial discrimination on the basis of work and descent; right to life & fair trial and justice; abduction, gang-rape and sexual exploitation against Dalit minor girl ———————————————————– We are shocked to learn that a […]

As you may be aware the Asian Human Rights Commission together with many other organizations has been carrying out a campaign to get the Sri Lankan Government to bring to justice the perpetrators of mass disappearances from the 1988-92 period as well as the disappearances which are continuing at present.

Commemoration of “Thirteen years ago my son, who was 22 years old, left home telling me he would return in 15 minutes or so. He never did. We are still waiting. We know he will not come, but we are still waiting,” said a 57-year-old father who joined the commemoration of Disappearances Day for the […]

AHRC MEDIA Release  28 June 2001  Australia: High Commissioner Appointee responsible for atrocities  Former detainee under General Perera speaks out  Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is issuing today an eyewitness account [attached] of extreme physical and psychological torture, overcrowding and hundreds of disappearances/extrajudicial killings at an illegal military detention camp (in Wehera, Kurunegala district, 25 […]

The United Nations Human Rights Commission is currently having its annual meeting in Geneva. AHRC believes that this is an opportune time to insist that the UN establish an International Tribunal to investigate and bring to trial the perpetrators of the forced disappearances in Sri Lanka.   Even by official Sri Lankan government figures, over […]

AHRC UA990312 Sri Lanka 12 March 1999 ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION URGENT APPEAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The United Nation Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances Report E/CN.4/1999/62 dated 28 December 1998 states that the Sri Lankan Government informed the Working Group it had established an inter-ministerial committee \”to examine expeditious ways of implementing the recommendations […]