Human rights defenders

PHILIPPINES: A professor assaulted a student for carrying a black t-shirt he might wear to support a protest

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the assault of a student at the Marikina Polytechnic College by one of the professors. The actions of the professor were unreasonable, inhuman, and a clear abuse of his authority. The victim, Ernie Quisora was entering the college on a day when a […]

SOUTH KOREA: Legal actions against workers of Korean overseas factories must stop

The Military Special Command Unit 911 in Cambodia firing live ammunition at garment factory workers asking for the increase of the minimum wage has been internationally condemned. The firing led to the deaths of four persons and injuries to at least 39 more. Nonetheless, on a subsequent day, the military arrested 23 people, including human […]

PHILIPPINES: Three tortured and falsely charged activists freed

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is pleased to inform you that the three community organizers whom were reported to have been illegally arrested, tortured, detained and falsely charged in November 2009, have been released after they were exonerated from the charges against them. UPDATED INFORMATION: In our appeal in February 2010 (AHRC-UAC-005-2010), […]

INDONESIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Indonesia interferes in the investigation in the death of a West Papuan activist

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the death of Danny Kogoya, regional commander of the Free Papua Movement (Organisasi Papua Merdeka, OPM), in Vanimo, Papua New Guinea. The cause of death was reported to be liver failure due to the presence of unusual chemical substances in his body. A […]

BANGLADESH: UN should act immediately to save Bangladeshi lives

Mr. Ban Ki Moon Secretary General of the United Nations Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General United Nations S-378, New York, NY 10017 USA Fax: +1 212 963 7055 or 2155 An Open Letter to the UN Secretary General by the Asian Human Rights Commission Your Excellency, the Secretary General of the United Nations, […]

ASIA: AHRC TV – Human rights Asia Weekly Roundup, EPISODE 10

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to inform you that we have released the 10thEpisode of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup today, December 18, 2013. In this week’s news roundup we begin by taking you to Burma, also known as Myanmar, for a special report taking a look at the progress made three years after the […]

THAILAND: Somchai Neelaphaijit — One man, four disappearances

The case of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit, whom police officers abducted and forcibly disappeared over nine years ago, took a new twist when the Department of Special Investigation claimed that its file on his case had itself disappeared during anti-government protests last week. According to Niran Adulayasak, Director of Special Criminal Case Office 1 […]

NEPAL: Adhikari Couple in Critical Condition

Statement | Nepal | 13-12-2013

The health of Mr. Nanda Prasad Adhikari and Mrs. Ganga Maya Adhikari, parents to a murdered son, Krishna Prasad Adhikari, is deteriorating rapidly. According to doctors at Bir Hospital, having  resumed their hunger strike from their hospital beds, the Adhikari couple are now in critical condition. Maoist cadre allegedly killed Krishna Prasad Adhikari in 2004. […]

ASIA: Human Rights Asia TV – Weekly Round Up – Episode 9

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is happy to announce the latest issue of its weekly video news bulletin, the Human Rights Asia TV – Weekly Roundup. The 9th Episode of the Weekly Roundup is being released on the 10th December 2013, on the eve of Human Rights Day, and we are bringing you a special report on […]

ASIA: Civil society needs to converge to protect rights

Commemorating the 64th Anniversary of Human Rights Day, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has released a comprehensive report, State of Human Rights in Asia 2013, covering Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Hunger in Asia. The report can be accessed here. The global theme for this year is 20 Years: Working for your rights. […]

INDIA: Challenge the Draconian Black Laws in Meghalaya

PRESS RELEASE, December 10, 2013 Thma-U-Rangli-Juki (TUR), a progressive people’s organisation, will hold a street corner meeting on the draconian Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act (MPDA), 1995 and Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act (MMPO) to observe International Human Rights Day on 10th December at Khyndai Lad, Shillong at 2 p.m. This will kick off the […]

SRI LANKA: Indebtedness, militarization, & the threat against all human rights

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on Human Rights Day Sinhalese The full report is available for download at: http://www.humanrights.asia/resources/hrreport/2013/AHRC-SPR-006-2013.pdf/view International human rights day is a day for the celebration of human dignity. It is an appropriate date to take stock of what progress, if any, has been made in the promotion and protection […]

ශරී ලංකාව: ණයගැතිබව, හමුදාකරණය, සහ සකල මානව හිමිකම්වලට එරෙහි තර්ජනය

English The full report is available for download at: http://www.humanrights.asia/resources/hrreport/2013/AHRC-SPR-006-2013.pdf/view අන්තර්ජාතික මානව හිමිකම් දිනය මානව අභිමානය සමරන දිනයකි. එහිදී, ශරී   ලංකාවේ මානව හිමිකම් පර්ත වර්ධනය හා ආරක්ෂාව සම්බන්ධයෙන් යම්කිසි දියුණුවක් ලබා තිබේ නම් එම දියුණුව කුමක්දැයි සලකා බැලීම සඳහා මේ දිනය යොදාගැනීම සුදුසු ය. අවාසනාවකට මෙන් මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් පරුසුගමනයක් දැකගත නොහැකි අතර ඒ වෙනුවට පැහැදිලිවම […]

INDIA: Violent Attack, Arbitrary Detention, Death Threats to activists of Meyor Community, Arunachal Pradesh

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from civil society groups regarding death threats, arbitrary detention and harassment of members of the Meyor community, a group of indigenous people in Arunachal Pradesh. They are being targeted for their activities on conservation of community land and natural resources. The Meyor community with […]

INDONESIA: Democracy incomplete in 15 years of reform

The full report is available for download at: http://www.humanrights.asia/resources/hrreport/2013/AHRC-SPR-002-2013.pdf/view In commemoration of Human Rights Day on December 10, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is issuing a brief report on the state of human rights in Indonesia. Using the examples of events which took place in 2013, the report highlights three crucial subjects which have been […]

INDIA: Where freedom & dignity remains a mirage

The full report is available for download at: http://www.humanrights.asia/resources/hrreport/2013/AHRC-SPR-003-2013.pdf/view Human Rights Day commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948, which declares freedom and equality for every human being in the world. The Indian constitution, adopted by the people of independent India a year later, guarantees each Indian citizen right […]

NEPAL: Human Rights in Abeyance

The full report is available for download at: http://www.humanrights.asia/resources/hrreport/2013/AHRC-SPR-004-2013.pdf/view The dissolution of the Constituent Assembly in May 2012 stalled efforts to trigger debate on human rights and institutional reform. The political transition kept Nepal in limbo in 2013 as well, until a successful second Constituent Assembly elections on 19 November 2013. The elections have been lauded […]

INDIA: Imminent threat of arrest and harassment to Ms. Sheeba Aslam Fahmi

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the imminent threat of arrest and harassment of New Delhi based journalist, feminist activist and human rights defender Ms. Sheeba Aslam Fahmi. She informed AHRC that in August 2012, she received email from unknown source threatening her of dire consequences for expressing her […]

PAKISTAN: “Death in custody constitutes murder” rules the CJ in cases of disappearances

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry makes laudable efforts to hold the security forces accountable for enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and in pursuing the cases of missing persons It has been reported that the Attorney General informed the Supreme Court that two missing persons have died, allegedly in military custody. According to the daily Express News, which […]

BANGLADESH: Attorney General’s Office Supersedes High Court

The Asian Human Rights Commission has learned that direct intervention from the Attorney General’s Office of Bangladesh is preventing the release of ASM Nasiruddin Elan, Director of Odhikar, a Bangladesh based human rights organisations, despite the High Court having granted bail to the prominent human rights defender. That the Attorney General’s Office can impede a high […]