Freedom of assembly

[Re: UA- 50 -2005: INDIA: Three and a half year wait for justice for the brutal murder of an Adivasi (tribal person) by a forest official in Gujarat] Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information on the case of Manishbhai Motibhai Vasava (30), an adivasi who was murdered by an Indian […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you information from the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) in Hong Kong regarding the alleged assault of four Filipino workers, three of whom were women, during a peaceful demonstration at the premises of the Philippines Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. One of the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from SUARAM, a human rights organization in Malaysia, that 68 Burmese protesters are being detained at the Pudu Police Station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia after holding a peaceful demonstration opposite the Myanmar Embassy on 16 June 2005. They held the protest to call for […]

[UA-29-2003: MALAYSIA: Trial drags on and on for seven suspended university students; UP-25-2003: MALAYSIA: Media Statement on the “ISA 7” from the Aliran Executive Committee; UP-28-2003: MALAYSIA: A youth activist arrested in a student march for justice] Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of the acquittal of seven Malaysian […]

[RE: UP-29-2005: PHILIPPINES: Two more leaders from the Bayan Muna party are killed in Baguio and Tacloban City, UA-34-2005: Killing of a labor rights activist for the Hacienda Luisita farm workers in Tarlac City, UP-26-2005: Priest supporting for the Hacienda Luisita farm workers in La Paz, Tarlac killed and two others wounded, UP-28-2005: Attempt on […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man named Heeralu Mohottalalage Punchi Banda (39) was illegally arrested and tortured by the Sub Inspector (S.I.) Dhammika Bandara of Samanalaweva Police Post in Balangoda on 26 August 2004. Due to brutal torture, the victim still suffers from severe pain on his […]

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) is gravely concerned about the upcoming planned revision of the Law on Assembly and Demonstration of South Korea, which severely restricts the Korean people’s right to expression. On 19 November 2003 the Home Affairs Committee of the National Assembly approved a revision bill of the Law on […]

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) that Irene Fernandez was sentenced to jail for 12 months by the Magistrates Court 5B, Kuala Lumpur, on 16 October 2003. However, she is out on bail in the amount of RM 3,000 and filed an […]

On 8 October 2002, Singaporean Court sentenced Chee Soon Juan, Singaporean opposition leader, and Ghandhi Ambalam for five and four weeks jail for breaking Singapore’s Public Entertainment and Meeting Act by holding a public event without a permit, after they refused to pay a S$4,500 (USA$2,540) and S$3000 fine, respectively. Ambalam has since been released, as his family paid the fine, but Chee continues to be imprisoned.

On September 30, 2002, police clashed with protestors peacefully demonstrating against the Mangla Dam extension in Mirpur, a city in the Pakistani controlled area of Kashmir. The police attacked the demonstrators with batons and tear gas, arresting 13 people and injuring others. Mr. Najeeb Asfar, a member of the Association of British Kashmiris, reported that following the incident, most of Mirpur City was put under curfew.

State violence and repression in Asia INDONESIA/MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE/AUSTRALIA: Repression and violence against human rights defenders on May Day 2002 ——————————————————————– Last Wednesday was International Labour Day – the day to remember and continue the struggle for basic human rights for workers around the world. Far too often the efforts of worker activists for justice end in […]

We are forwarding an appeal from Eviction Watch and the Urban Poor Consortium (UPC) for your further action to protect Indonesian human rights defenders. After the second attack on UPC by the FBR (Betawi Brotherhood Forum) which caused many of you to write protest letters, 7 of the attackers have been arrested. 

(RE: UA-11-2002: Attacks on human rights defenders, destruction of property, public use of weapons with impunity)  UPDATE (INDONESIA): Further attacks on human rights defenders, public threats made with impunity  ———————————————————————-  Dear Friends  We are including here a joint statement by 48 Indonesian NGOs in response to another attack by the FBR (Betawi Brotherhood Forum) on […]

AHRC welcomes the recent capture by the Indonesian police of Tommy Suharto – fugitive son of Gen. Suharto, accused of crimes ranging from corruption and graft to bombings and the assassination of a judge. However, we have serious doubts about the ability of the criminal justice system to proceed effectively, as the system is fundamentally flawed. Time and time again the influential elite and members of military and police charged with horrendous human rights crimes are not prosecuted or let off with ridiculously light sentences; while the poorer sections calling for decent wages and conditions, land for peasants or self-determination for indigenous peoples are harshly punished for raising their voices. 

Dear Friends  Thank you for your continued action for justice for the 19 persons arrested and detained in Bandung, Indonesia, for their legitimate protest against impoverishing labour laws and fuel prices. It seems that the cases against the 12 remaining in prison pending trial were found by the court to be so weak that all […]

Over the last week, more than 2000 activists and politicians have been arrested by Pakistan’s military regime.

On March 23rd, Pakistan National day, the 16-party Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) attempted to hold protest to call for an immediate end to military rule. As of result, a further 100 political leaders, including Javed Hashmi (a senior figure in the Pakistan Muslim League) were arrested by police.

AHRC UA990505 Malaysia 05 May 1999 ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION URGENT APPEAL 20 April 99 released on bail Tian Chua, chairperson of Gagasan Demokrasi Rakyat and Malek Hussain who were remanded for seven days. 14 April 99, 24 persons were arrested for suspected rioting which include Tian Chau and Malik Hussein. The suspects suffered various […]

AHRC UA990316 Malaysia 16 March 1999 ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION URGENT APPEAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Since September 1998 sacking of Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, several hundred people have been arrested in connection with the series of demonstrations that have taken place.Thousands of Malaysians from all walks of life came into the streets to peacefully protest […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal received from MADPET (Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture) regarding a case of five human rights activists who were arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Malaysia on 12 December 2007. The ISA allows detention without trial. All are now being […]