Extrajudicial killings

PHILIPPINES: The president fails to take decisive steps to end extrajudicial killings

The president of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo made her State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the 3rd Regular Session of the 13th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines.  Except for mentioning her condemnation of political killings in the harshest possible terms and urging the witnesses to come forward, and mentioning that together we […]

PHILIPPINES: Stopping the extra-judicial killings must be a priority in your State of the Nation Address (Sona)

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to you in advance of your State on Monday, July 24. While we look forward to what you will be reporting regarding the present situation of your country and future plans, we would like to draw your attention to the state of human rights in the Philippines, which […]

INDIA: BSF officers kill two victims, including a 17-year-old boy

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned of the killings of two persons, one of whom was a minor, by officers of the Border Security Forces (BSF) operating along the Indo-Bangladesh border. After confronting the two victims and beating them with their rifle, the BSF officers then shot them at point blank […]

UPDATE (Philippines/Thailand): Expressions of outrage heard through petitions on killings and government inaction in Southeast Asia

[RE: UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred… UP-77-2005: THAILAND: Department of Special Investigation fails to bring justice to Charoen Wat-aksorn case… UA-112-2005: THAILAND: Murder of Thai monk following an environmental and land dispute with local influential business figures… UP-135-2006: THAILAND: Petition to be […]

PAKISTAN: Killing of a 14 year old boy by the police in Lahore

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about a killing of a 14-year-old boy named Salman and the serious injuries of a 15-year-old boy named Asqhar by the Muslim Town police and the Sepoy [ordinary policemen ] of elite force stationing near the police picket at Wahdat road, Lahore City, Punjab, […]

BURMA: Bloody killings expose myth of “state stability”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 11, 2006 AS-165-2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission BURMA: Bloody killings expose myth of “state stability” In recent weeks and months there have been a growing number of reports of bloody killings of ordinary people by police and other state officers in the cities and towns of Burma. […]

INDIA: BSF allegedly killed 14-year-old

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received shocking information from MASUM, a human rights organisation in West Bengal, detailing the killing of a 14-year-old boy by the Border Security Forces (BSF) operating along the Indo-Bangladesh border. The boy resided just 30 meters from the border and on hearing some commotion outside his […]

BURMA: Young man allegedly dies due to assault by special drug squad; mother flees country

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received details of the alleged death in custody of a young man in Burma due to an assault by special anti-drug squad police. According to his mother, who has now fled to Thailand, Maung Ne Zaw and two friends were stopped, illegally detained and brutally assaulted […]

PHILIPPINES: Three more peasant activists killed in separate attacks

PHILIPPINES: Extra-judicial killings; violence against human rights defenders; failure of authorities to provide protection; delays in arresting perpetrators despite charges filed; complete collapse of rule of law —————————————————— Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that another three peasant activists have been killed in separate attacks in Negros Occidental, […]

BANGLADESH: An elderly woman is tortured to death by the Savar police in Dhaka

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a sixty-five year-old woman named Mrs. Nayan Banu was beaten to death by three police men from the Savar Police Station at the victim’s house in Dhaka District on 2 July 2006. She was allegedly killed because she asked for the identity of […]

GENERAL APPEAL (Thailand): Slow progress to investigate over 400 unidentified bodies in south

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is greatly concerned about the apparent lack of progress in investigating over 400 unidentified bodies found in southern Thailand. Despite the months that have elapsed since news of the bodies became public, government authorities appear unwilling to allow for them to be properly exhumed and identified as […]

SRI LANKA: Invitation to attend the murder trial of Gerald Perera at the Gampaha High Court on July 21, 2006

I am sure you are aware of the murder trial of Gerald Perera, a torture victim who was assassinated while waiting to give evidence in a trial against several police officers from the Wattala Police Station for severely torturing him. Prior to the assassination the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka held that these officers had […]

SRI LANKA: Report of the Fact Finding Mission to Pesalai by the CPA and INFORM

Representatives from INFORM (Sunila Abeysekera and Udaya Kalupathirana) and The Centre for Policy Alternatives (Dr. Devanesan Nesiah, Bhavani Fonseka and Mirak Raheem) traveled to Mannar, Pesalai and Talaimannar on the 28th of June, to assess the prevailing situation there. BACKGROUND Mannar District, in the north-west of Sri Lanka, is among the least developed districts in […]

UPDATE (Thailand): Special call for observers to attend trial of persons accused of murdering environmentalist Charoen Wat-aksorn

[RE: UA-76-2004: THAILAND: A prominent environmentalist Charoen Wat-aksorn murdered and an independent investigation required; UP-40-2004: THAILAND: Arrest warrant issued against a local politician for the murder of Charoen Wat-aksorn; UP-77-2005: THAILAND: Department of Special Investigation fails to bring justice to Charoen Wat-aksorn case; UP-124-2006: THAILAND: Important programme to commemorate human rights defenders and discuss failed […]

PHILIPPINES: A couple engaged in development work and two other activists killed in separate incidents

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that four activists have been killed in separate incidents, among whom was a couple engaged in developmental work. On June 17, activist Tito Marata was killed by gunmen in Loboc village, Oroquieta City. On June 19, George and his wife Maricel were […]

BANGLADESH: Man killed by the Rajarhat police in Kurigram district

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the Rajarhat police in Kurigram district allegedly killed a man on the night of 22 June 2006. Mr. Kasi Uddin went to the police and requested the release of his younger brother, Mr. Tajul Islam, who had earlier been arrested. Sub Inspector of […]

PAKISTAN: Under-trial prisoner killed following fabricated blasphemy charges having been laid against him

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned of the stabbing death of an under-trial prisoner in Muzzafar Garh, Pakistan. The prisoner, in police custody at the time of his death, had been charged with blasphemy following an accusation made by a seminary and government official. No person has yet been charged for […]

UPDATE (Pakistan): Missing journalist found dead in Pakistan

Dear friends, It is with much regret that the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of the death of Pakistan journalist, Mr. Hayat Ullah Khan. In a May 2006 appeal (UA-145-2006) the AHRC asked the Government of Pakistan to produce Mr. Khan in a court of law without further delay. Mr. Khan […]

GENERAL APPEAL (Thailand): Government authorities in south of Thailand reportedly encourage “shoot to kill” policy with cash rewards

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned by reports that the authorities in southern Thailand have proposed to give large cash rewards to people who have gunfights with alleged insurgents, where the highest reward is given for killing the person. The AHRC is urging widespread attention to be paid to these […]

PHILIPPINES: Another activist killed; union leader faces serious threat

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that another activist has been killed while a labour union leader faces serious threat to his life. Activist Markus Bangit was killed on 8 June 2006 at a stopover restaurant in Echague, Isabela. He was with his son Banna onboard a passenger […]