Freedom of expression

SOUTH KOREA: Arbitrary detention of a conscientious objector for disobedience

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a conscripted young man who objected to military service based on his conscience on 27 July 2008, received an order four times to join in order to disperse protestors, which he has refused. Based on this fact, the prosecutor who pleaded for an […]

UPDATE (Cambodia): Military police ill -treated and assaulted a journalist during investigation

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the assault of a journalist by military police on 25 July 2008 at their headquarters in Sihanoukville. An investigation was begun following the journalist’s complaint but military police have ill -treated the journalist during the investigation. UPDATED INFORMATION: (Based on testimony from the […]

BURMA: Three more persons charged without evidence over September protests

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you of another three cases against three persons who were illegally detained after the protests in Burma last September against the rapid increases in fuel and commodity costs there. The three have been charged with a number of offences for supposedly distributing anti-government literature […]

SOUTH KOREA: Conscripted policeman ill-treated after expressing opinion on the internet

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about a young conscripted man who has served as a battle policeman. He has been repeatedly ill-treated by way of disciplinary punishment. This started after he expressed his opinion on the internet, and after asking for a change in his position, on 12 June […]

CAMBODIA: A military police officer assaults a journalist for reporting on his corruption in Sihanoukville

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that a military police officer,  Nget Vutha alias Kin, slapped a journalist, Ros Phina in the face for reporting on his facilitating of the transportation of protected timber. This incident happened on 25 July 2008 in the district military police headquarters in Stung Hav district, […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Court to hear case of activists, others falsely charged two years ago

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the five men, collectively known as the Tagaytay Five, whom we reported to have been missing but were later found in police custody two years ago, will have their petition seeking the dismissal of their case heard tomorrow, July 18. The five […]

SOUTH KOREA: Police allegedly fabricate charges against a man

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police arrested a man for posting handbills, relating to a candle light vigil,on a wall. They fabricated an investigative report, saying that he hit an officer at the time of his arrest on 5 July 2008, which he has denied. CASE DETAILS: Mr. […]

SOUTH KOREA: Police assault a lawyer providing legal advice during protests

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a lawyer, who provided legal advice at the site of protests, was attacked and severely injured by a shield used by riot police whilst forcibly dispersing protesters on 26 June 2008. CASE DETAILS: (based on the testimony from the victim) Mr. Lee Joon-Hyung is […]

SOUTH KOREA: Three human rights defenders are arrested as instigators of illegal protest

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has obtained information that two activists appealing the illegal arrest of others, and one activist monitoring police violence during recent protests, were arrested on 25 June and 30 June 2008 respectively and later charged with instigating an illegal protest in South Korea. CASE DETAILS: On 25 June […]

CAMBODIA: Police allegedly extort bribes in arrest in Rattanakiri province

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the police allegedly ordered parents to pay a bribe of 150000 riels (US$37.5) each if their sons were not to be arrested after these youths had damaged a party sign in Soeung commune, Bor Keo district, Rattankiri province. On 2 July 2008, they arrested […]

BURMA: Another person charged with sedition for protesting against price rises

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has obtained detailed information on the case of Ko Htin Kyaw, one of the persons who was illegally detained in Burma since August 2007 for being involved in the first protests against the sudden increases in fuel prices that led to the monk-led nationwide rallies in September. […]

SRI LANKA: Assaults and hate speech

Attacks on journalists continue unabated despite of massive protests from local and international agencies and despite all sorts of talk by the spokesmen for the government about stopping human rights violations. Empty rhetoric assuring respect for human rights only hides the cynical disregard for the rights of the citizens. Silencing all is the actual policy […]

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES/PAKISTAN: A Pakistani television channel asked to stop its transmissions

[NOTICE: The AHRC have 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 […]

CAMBODIA: Unlawful arrest of a newspaper editor in Phnom Penh

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned that Dam Sith, the editor of Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper, was arrested on charges of alleged defamation, insult and disinformation on 8 June 2008. Dam has been facing a criminal lawsuit after his newspaper published an opposition politician’s remarks about the Khmer Rouge affiliation of a government […]

BURMA: Elderly protestor wrongly detained, tried and imprisoned

Dear friends, While the Cyclone Nargis tragedy has continued, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has at the same time been closely following the ongoing cases against persons detained and tried in Burma after the nationwide protests of 2007. In this appeal we bring you details of the illegal detaining and trial of U Ohn […]

CAMBODIA: Police beat villagers appealing for Prime Minister’s intervention on land grabbing

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the victims of land grabbing who went to the residence of Prime Minister Hun Sen to submit their petitions seeking his intervention were beaten by the police guarding his residence. Six of the victims were injured during the incident. CASE DETAILS: (According to information from […]

PAKISTAN: Anti nuclear demonstrators arrested, one activist remains missing

[NOTICE: The AHRC have 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 […]

THAILAND: Two websites illegally blocked; twenty nine banned for discussion on monarchy

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that two websites were illegally blocked and charged under the Computer Crime Act while twenty nine sites face closure under the same legislation for allowing an open-forum discussion talking about the Thai monarchy. CASE DETAILS: According to media and other sources, two websites–Fah Diaw […]

INDIA: Villager assaulted by police constable in Kerala

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Neervazhy, a human rights organisation working in Thrissur, Kerala regarding the case of assault by the local police upon an innocent person. It is reported that Mr. Kuttan while waiting for a three-wheeler to go home on 23 April 2008 was assaulted by […]

THAILAND: Websites are denounced for allowing forum discussions

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that two Thai websites (Fah Diew Kan and Prachatai) have been charged under Article 116 (2) of the Criminal Code for publishing discussions of a man’s refusal to stand during the Royal Anthem. This is in violation of the freedom of expression as set down in […]