Human rights defenders

INDIA: Assam police fabricate charges over the murder of rights activist

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from human rights activists based in North East India regarding the arbitrary arrest of two persons by fabricating charges in connection with the killing of human rights defender Mr. Manoj Konwar. Mr. Manoj Konwar was working with Assam based human rights organization Manab Adhikar […]

PHILIPPINES: Indigenous people falsely charged, threatened for planting crops on their ancestral land

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal regarding the fabrication of charges, death threats and forcible eviction of indigenous people from their ancestral land in Porac, Pampanga. The victims were targeted by two big corporations for demanding that the land, which is rightfully theirs, be given to them. […]

NEPAL: AHRC welcomes 2nd Constituent Assembly Elections

Statement | Nepal | 20-11-2013

Nepal has successfully conducted the second Constituent Assembly elections on 19 November 2013 with estimated 70 percent voter turnout. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) would like to congratulate voters, the Election Commission, national and international observers, security agencies, media, and civil society for their active participation in election management. The exciting participation of Nepali […]

INDIA: Human rights defender Ms Agnes Kharshiing released; struggle for land rights of indigenous people continues

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received communication from Ms. Agnes Kharshiing, President of Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO), regarding her arrest, denial of bail, and subsequent release. She was arrested on 8 November 2013 when the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) conducted an eviction drive in the Umsawli area of Shillong […]

SRI LANKA: AHRC condemns the state media attack on Nimalka Fernando

The threats posed to the life of Ms. Nimalka Fenando, a well-known trade unionist, political activist and a human rights defender, by the commercial channel of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation on November 4, 2013 is yet another example of the stark and blatant abuse of the State Media to intimidate, harass and humiliate a […]

ASIA: Parliamentarians and human rights defenders urge effective measures to curb custodial torture

Statement | Asia | 15-11-2013

The following is a statement by participants of the 2nd Conference of Asian Parliamentarians and Human Rights Defenders, 11-13 November, Hong Kong, organised by the Asian Alliance Against Torture and Ill-Treatment: Parliamentarians and human rights defenders from Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Canada, Hong Kong, and Denmark have attended a meeting to […]

INDIA: Immediate release of human rights defender Ms. Agnes Kharshiing

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned of the arrest of Ms. Agnes Kharshiing, President of Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO), and subsequent rejection of bail by a lower court in Shillong, Meghalaya. On November 9, Ms. Kharshiing was arrested for protesting against the eviction drive underway in Shillong that has left […]

PHILIPPINES: A female land rights activist killed in front of her husband and daughter who remains traumatised

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal regarding the murder of a female land rights activist in San Andres, Quezon province. The victim and her family had been demanding the ownership of the land that they cultivate from their landlord. She was shot dead in front of her […]

PHILIPPINES: TFDP assails judge for the military’s acquittal in couple’s slay

Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) assailed the judge for the military’s acquittal over the slaying of the couple Bacar and Carmen Japalali during a military operation headed by Sgt. Serafin Jerry Napoles last September 8, 2004 in Barangay Bincungan, Tagum City. Hall of Justice, Tagum, Davao del Norte.Photo: AHRC In a nine (9) page […]

BANGLADESH: Release Human Rights Defender Elan Immediately

The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the detention of ASM Nasiruddin Elan and demands his immediate release. Mr. ASM Nasiruddin Elan, Director of Bangladeshi human rights organization, Odhikar, has been detained in prison by the Cyber Crimes Tribunal of Dhaka, today, November 6, 2013. This detention is part of the continued repression against the whistle-blowers […]

PHILIPPINES: Overt surveillance on a religious group assisting farmers in Mindanao

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you about the overt surveillance being carried out on a nun and her group in Iligan City. The victim’s group actively works for human rights for the rural poor in Northern Mindanao. Some of their staff were also came under threat this year which […]

PHILIPPINES: 365 Days of unjust Imprisonment – Free Zara Now!

Dear friends,  We wish to share with you the following statement from the Free Zara Alvarez Movement. Asian Human Rights Commission  Hong Kong ————- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-FST-046-2013 October 30, 2013 A Statement from the Free Zara Alvarez Movement forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission PHILIPPINES: 365 Days of unjust Imprisonment – Free Zara […]

INDONESIA: ‘Genosida yang diabaikan’ – peluncuran laporan tentang rangkaian pelanggaran HAM di Papua tahun 1977 – 1978

UNTUK DITERBITKAN SEGERA (Hong Kong/Wuppertal, Kamis, 24 Oktober 2013) Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) dan Human Rights and Peace for Papua (ICP) meluncurkan sebuah laporan mengenai pelanggaran hak asasi manusia (HAM) yang terjadi di Pegunungan Tengah Papua, Indonesia, selama tahun 1977–1978. Laporan ini membahas pelanggaran-pelanggaran atas Konvensi Pencegahan dan Penghukuman Kejahatan Genosida yang dilakukan pemerintah […]

INDONESIA: ‘The Neglected Genocide’ – a report detailing series of abuses in 1977–1978 in Papua is launched

Indonesian (Hong Kong/Wuppertal, Thursday, 24 October 2013) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and Human Rights and Peace for Papua (ICP) are launching a report on the human rights abuses that took place in the central highlands of Papua, Indonesia during the course of 1977-1978. The report discusses violations under the Convention on the Prevention […]

INDIA: “Recognize and protect the rights of human rights defenders of Manipur”

An outcome statement from the Manipur Convention on “Protection of Human Rights Defenders of Manipur” forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Resolution Adopted at the Manipur Convention on “Protection of Human Rights Defenders of Manipur” Manipur Press Club, Imphal, Manipur, 19 October 2013 The participants of the Manipur State Convention on “Protection of Human […]

PAKISTAN: Lack of direction more worrying than the crisis confronting state: HRCP

Lahore, October 14: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has voiced concern at the absence of clarity and direction in dealing with the many pressing crises confronting the state. In a statement issued at the conclusion of its autumn meeting on Sunday, the HRCP executive body said: “The Executive Council of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan […]

SOUTH KOREA: Would the government treat land owners in Gangnam* in the same manner as they do the Miryang villagers?

The situation in Miryang is deeply alarming and appears to be deteriorating. The police are carrying out arbitrary arrests and detention, threat and harassment towards villagers and human rights defenders including violence and indiscriminate photo-taking and videotaping without warrants with concealment of the police identity. These actions have been taking place since the Korea Electronic […]

WORLD: Why Torture Is Wrong

Article | World | 09-10-2013

The following interview was originally printed in the latest issue of the Torture: Asian and Global Perspectives. An exclusive conversation with Dr. Nora Sveaass Born in Oslo, Norway, in December 1949, Dr. Nora Sveaass is a clinical psychologist who has been engaged in various parts of the world in relation to human rights and rehabilitation after […]

PHILIPPINES: Labour leader disappeared after he was followed by persons believed to be military personnel in Cavite

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you about the disappearance of a labour leader in Laguna. The victim disappeared on 27 August 2013 and his whereabouts remain unknown. He disappeared after sending an SMS to his colleague in which he said that he was being followed by persons whom he […]

PHILPPINES: Court hearing of falsely charged activists postponed, again

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the court hearing of Fernando Obedencio, an activist who has been held for nearly eight years over fabricated charges, is once again postponed indefinitely because of the absence of the judge hearing his case. UPDATED INFORMATION: (Based on the information received from Moro […]