Freedom of expression

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from SUARAM, a human rights organisation in Malaysia that on 10 November 2007 the police cracked down on a peaceful demonstration for fair and free elections in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Police used teargas and water cannons to disperse the peaceful rally, which caused injuries […]

Dear friends, As the dramatic events in Burma of the last few days are being reported throughout the entire world, in this latest update the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), gives additional information not being widely covered in the mainstream media, as follows: – Protests have continued in Rangoon, Mandalay and other towns  – Killings […]

Dear friends, As has been reported throughout the world, riot police began violently attacking protestors in Rangoon today after they refused to obey instructions to not again take to the streets to call for an end to military rule there (UP-125-2007). Meanwhile, protests have also continued in other parts of the country. Here we give […]

Dear friends, Threats from the military regime in Burma have failed to get thousands of protestors of the streets again today, 25 September 2007. Here the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) gives the latest information and some on events of recent days. Please do everything you can to support the courageous struggle of Burma’s people […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the policemen involved in attacking peaceful demonstration of public school teachers in Taft Avenue, Manila on 5 October 2007 have not been held to account. The teachers were holding their activity in a park where the demonstration should have been allowed to […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned that Mr. Jahangir Alam Akashi, a journalist, as well as a human rights defender based on Rajshahi city, has been implicated with an alleged false extortion charge on 28 August 2007. The charge against Mr. Akashi is based on a complaint lodged by Mr. […]

Dear friends, Further to our previous recent updates on the situation in Burma, this is the first appeal by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on specific cases of sentencing and imprisonment arising out of the protests of the last two months. Here we give the details of a man who has been sent to […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been receiving daily updates on the dramatic protests against mid-August fuel price increases in Burma. On September 6, the protests went to a new level when for the first time the army intervened directly and monks responded by holding officials as hostages. More protests and arrests […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that anti-coup activist Sombat Boon-ngam-anong is detained with pending charges of criminal defamation after he expressed opinions against the coup leaders. The AHRC calls for your immediate action to urge the case to be withdrawn. CASE DETAILS: Sombat is the leader of the Citizens […]

Dear friends, Despite great personal risks, people in Burma are continuing to come on to the streets in protest two weeks after the military regime there suddenly multiplied the cost of fuels without prior warning. Since the appeal issued by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on August 26 (UA-260-2007), daily demonstrations have spread across […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern regarding the alleged spying on and harassment of student activists and campus journalists in two universities in Metro Manila by soldiers. The soldiers covertly took photographs and video recordings of them when they enter the campus to hold meetings on the pretext of […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been following closely events in Burma since the government multiplied the cost of fuels there without warning over a week ago, prompting public protests. Latest reports from many sources indicate that at least 65 persons have now been taken into custody in connection with the demonstrations. […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Right Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you regarding the torching of a house of a journalist, Phon Phat (41), in Ba Kan district, Posat on 10 August 2007. Two men drove up to his house at dawn; poured gasoline over the walls and surrounding and set fire to it. The […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the alleged assault of a journalist by a military police officer in Toul Kroh village, Posat province on 4 August 2007. Prior to meeting the military police officer concerned he was on the way back home after collecting information on two illegal shooting […]

Dear friends, This is the latest update by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on the protests against fuel price increases in Burma: a leader of the protests has reportedly been tortured to death; courts in Rangoon have been closed for more than two weeks; arrests have continued, particularly in the delta area; monks in […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that on 16 June 2007, a Radio Free Asia reporter, Lem Pichpisey, who is also known by his on-air pseudonym, Lem Piseth, 38, received a death threat through his mobile phone after he reported on the illegal logging activities and massive deforestation in Kompong Thom […]

(Note: We are reproducing the report published on June 14 2007 by the International Crisis Group. The Executive Summary and Recommendations follow below). ____________ *INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP – NEW REPORT* Colombo/Brussels, 14 June 2007: The international community must press the warring sides for urgent action to address wide-spread human rights abuses in Sri Lanka as […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information that on 8 June 2007 the Minister of Information, Mr. Khieu Kanharith, reportedly issued a warning letter to the Sralanh Khmer newspaper to stop its publication of the Global Witness report on illegal logging. The GW report, released on 1 June 2007, reportedly exposed the […]

Dear friends,   The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from media houses that Pakistan government has banned the broadcasting of one popular television channel, the Geo TV, since 3 June 2007, after the television station management refused the request of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting not to broadcast its two current […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding yet another incident of targeted attacks against officials and the offices of a political party, the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas), in Palu, Central Sulawesi on 13 May 2007. It is reported that around 50 to 60 persons allegedly attached to […]