Extrajudicial killings

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information detailing the killing of a 17-year-old boy by Border Security Forces (BSF) operating along the Indo-Bangladesh border. The boy, who was attending to his crops just prior to the confrontation with the BSF officers, was taken from his hut and beaten mercilessly. A BSF […]

The numerous appointments to key national commissions by the executive president, contravening constitutional requirements, are a very clear indication of Sri Lanka’s drift from a law-based society to one in which the law plays a significantly reduced role.  While criticism against presidential actions has pointed to matters including the fact that no person is above […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that three more activists have been killed, one of whom was a priest, while another priest is facing serious threats on his life in separate incidents in the Philippines. On May 16, activist Jose Doton was killed while his brother Cancio was […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to bring to your attention the killing of a police inspector and his wife following his alleged attempt to inquire into drug related crimes. Though the inspector was previously charged for colluding with underworld drug dealers, he and six of his fellow officers maintained their innocence […]

[RE: UP-160-2005: PHILIPPINES: Armed men kill female activist in Bataan, Luzon; victim’s colleagues faces serious threat; UA-078-2006: PHILIPPINES: Nineteen-year-old activist found dead in Abucay, Bataan; UA-096-2006: PHILIPPINES: Activist killed and an attempt made on another’s life; UA-101-2006: PHILIPPINES: Two more activists killed in Bohol and Tarlac; Activist who survives attempt on her life and her […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Rev. Jemias Tinambacan was shot dead and his wife Rev. Marilou Tinambacan was wounded by four gunmen along the national highway in Brgy. Mobod, Oroquieta City, Philippines on 9 May 2006. One of the perpetrators was identified by Rev. Marilou Tinambacan as Mr. […]

[RE: UA-096-2006: PHILIPPINES: Activist killed and an attempt made on another’s life; UA-101-2006: PHILIPPINES: Two more activists killed in Bohol and Tarlac; FA-007-2006: PHILIPPINES: A picture of the human rights situation in the Philippines in 2005] ———————————– PHILIPPINES: Extra-judicial killing; violence against activists and their families; absence of protection for activists in grave danger; complete […]

[RE: UA-082-2006: PHILIPPINES: Brutal torture of 11 persons and subsequent filing of fabricated charges against them; UP-063-2006: PHILIPPINES: Lawyers for 11 torture victims file motion to withdraw charges against them; UP-067-2006: PHILIPPINES: Torture victims file charges against policemen; UP-092-2006: PHILIPPINES: Plot to kill torture victims in jail] ———————————– UP-099-2006: PHILIPPINES: Jail authorities failing to ensure […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that another two persons were killed while three other activists survived an attempt on their lives in separate incidents on 22 and 26 April 2006 in the provinces of General Nakar, Quezon and San Mateo, Isabela. On April 22, armed men believed […]

[RE: UA-082-2006: PHILIPPINES: Brutal torture of 11 persons and subsequent filing of fabricated charges against them; UP-063-2006: PHILIPPINES: Lawyers for 11 torture victims file motion to withdraw charges against them; UP-067-2006: PHILIPPINES: Torture victims file charges against policemen; UP-092-2006: PHILIPPINES: Plot to kill torture victims in jail; UP-099-2006: PHILIPPINES: Jail authorities failing to ensure adequate […]

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Professor Philip Alston, today called on the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to take urgent measures to end political killings and to strengthen protection for human rights as conflict looked set to spiral out of control. “The […]

On April 25, as the second anniversary of the 28 April 2004 killing of 106 young men in the south of Thailand approached, army commander Sonthi Boonyaratglin reportedly made a remarkable admission. There are, he said, “blacklists” of wanted persons in the south. The blacklists, he also reportedly admitted, are perhaps being used by some […]

Dear friends, The head of the army in Thailand is reported as having admitted that the security forces in the south of the country are using “blacklists” to hunt down alleged insurgents in the south. He has also admitted that there are names of persons on the lists who are not genuine suspects. The Asian […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that another activist was killed while several others were seriously wounded in separate incidents on 6 and 24 April 2006. Activist Enrico Cabanit was killed while his daughter Daffodil is currently in a critical condition after a gunman shot them on April […]

[RE: UA-082-2006: PHILIPPINES: Brutal torture of 11 persons and subsequent filing of fabricated charges against them; UP-063-2006: PHILIPPINES: Lawyers for 11 torture victims file motion to withdraw charges against them; UP-067-2006: PHILIPPINES: Torture victims file charges against policemen] ———————————– UP-092-2006: PHILIPPINES: Plot to kill torture victims in jail PHILIPPINES: Torture; illegal arrest and detention; denial […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from its local partner, Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (Masum), detailing the death of Subhankar Mondal, a mentally disabled boy aged 14, for stealing a biscuit. It is alleged that Subhankar, while wandering around the Tinkonia bus stand on 12 April 2006, became hungry and so […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that two more activists have been killed in separate incidents. On April 5, Florencio Cervantes (27) was killed inside his house in Barangay (village) Sta. Cruz, Rosario, Agusan del Sur. His wife Elsa and their three children were able to escape when […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that another activist has been killed and his colleague is facing serious threats. Environmental activist Elpidio de la Victoria, programme director of environmental organisation Cebu City Bantay Dagat Commission, was shot in front of his house in Barangay (village) Dauis, Talisay City […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that another female activist was killed while her husband was wounded in a shooting on 3 April 2006 in Candijay, Bohol. Activist Liezelda Estorba-Cuñado (30) was declared dead on arrival at hospital while her husband, Gerry, suffered a gunshot wound to his arm […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has come to learn of a case involving the alleged torture and extra-judicial killing of a father and son by the Weligama Police. Despite years having now passed since their suspicious deaths, little action has been taken by the authorities to properly investigate this matter, and consequently […]