Freedom of expression

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to draw attention to the fact that tomorrow, June 22, the preliminary decision will be given in a civil suit of extreme importance for all persons concerned with freedom of speech in Thailand. The case is a libel suit filed by Shin Corp, Thailand’s biggest telecommunications […]

Dear friends Further to the Asian Human Right Commission’s urgent appeal issued yesterday on the dire situation in Nepal [see http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2004/654/], we have received updated information on further arrests in large numbers on 15 April 2004. Violations of human rights by the Government of Nepal continue; over 1000 peaceful demonstrators, including the President of the Nepali […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding the information from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on the politically motivated interference in the state-owned media in Sri Lanka before upcoming general election scheduled on 2 April 2004. According to the information, on 18 March Mr. Laskman Gunasekara, chief editor of the Sunday Observer was […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding the protest letter of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) to the President of Indonesia Government, Megawati Soekarnoputri regarding the ruling of the Central Jakarta District Court finding the Tempo Magazine guilty of defamation against businessman Tomy Winata on 18 March 2004. The Court also […]

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 […]

Three student leaders arbitrarily arrested by the police for shouting slogans against the monarchy NEPAL: Political right; Freedom of opinion; Arbitrary detention ———————————————————— Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that three student leaders in Nepal have been arbitrarily arrested without warrant by the police only for shouting slogans against the […]

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) requests your urgent solidarity for Mr. Song Du-yul, who was arrested and indicted for violating the National Security Law of Republic of Korea. Mr. Song has received intensive investigations about his alleged pro-North Korea activities by the prosecution of the Republic of Korea for two months since […]

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 that Korean-German scholar Song Du-yul, 59, was indicted by the prosecution for violating the National Security Law on 19 November 2003. Mr. Song has received intensive investigations about his alleged pro-North Korea activities by the prosecution of the Republic of Korea for two months […]

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Korean-German scholar Song Du-yul, 59, who returned to Republic of Korea (ROK) after 37 years of exile in Germany, was arrested for allegedly violating anti-communist provisions in the National Security Law on 22 October 2003. He was arrested after he refused to make […]

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 […]

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) had previously issued urgent appeals and wrote appeal letters to the Congregation of Mother of Sorrows Servants of Mary calling for the justice for Sr. Vanaselvi who was exqelled by the Congregation while she was in detention. Sr. Vanaselvi was arrested by the Suramangalam Police of Salem […]

Dear Friends Great news! Professor Salai Tun Than has been released! The Irrawaddy Online (05 May 2003) reported that, on Sunday, 4 May 2003, eighteen political prisoners, including Dr Tun Than, were released. Full story: http://www.irrawaddy.org/news/index.html?#dr, and part below: Dr Salai Tun Than arrived home yesterday (04 May 2003) from Insein Prison after serving 18 months […]

INDONESIA/ACEH: Denial of freedom of expression; threat to people’s movement for peace and democracy ———————————————————————- \”I will politically take reponsible for what I have done in Sura Peace Rally on January 9, 2003. I will also keep on calling for democracy until fundamental freedom and independence prevail in Aceh. Repression will never stop me.\” The […]

SRI LANKA: Assault, fabrication of charges by police, and an attack on freedom of expression ——————————————————————– – Name of the Victim: Mr. Uvidu Kurukulasuriya – Date of the Incident: November 15, 2002 – Assaulted by: Police of the Maharagama police station CASE DETAILS Uvidu Kurukulasuriya, a journalist from the well known Sinhala newspaper, Ravaya was […]

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.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is alarmed to learn that a close associate of AHRC and an associate member of the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), Muzamil Jaleel, has been assaulted by several police officers who were escorting Superintendent of Police (East) Rafiqul Hassan on the night of Aug. 31, 2002.  Mr. Jaleel is […]

Asian Human Rights commission (AHRC) is bring to your notice threat to a journalist for reporting torture cases – T.J. A Abeynayake, journalist of Island¡¯s new paper group

Sign petition for attorney general to bring justice to May 1998 riot victims INDONESIA: Denial of right to adequate remedy for victims of systematic gross human rights violations ——————————————————- The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has prepared an online petition to call on the attorney general of Indonesia to finally act to deliver justice to […]