Human rights defenders

Contact: Contact: John M. Miller, +1-917-690-4391 Ed McWilliams, +1-575-648-2078 The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) and the West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) today condemned the U.S. government’s decision to approve the sale of deadly Apache attack helicopters to Indonesia. The sale demonstrates that U.S. concern for greater respect for human rights and justice in Indonesia are nothing […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a woman was dragged onto the street and was tied to a tree by land grabbers working for a member of the provincial assembly of Punjab from the ruling party. The police reached the scene just as the perpetrators were getting ready to […]

The relationship between the High Commissioner for Human Rights and member nations of the United Nations is expected to be one of cooperation for the improvement of the rights of the people of the countries. The member states are expected to have the most cordial and friendly relationship with the High Commissioner’s office so as […]

An open letter from from the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) to the Honorable Ambassador of Bangladesh forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission OPEN LETTER To the Honorable Ambassador of Bangladesh, On behalf of KontraS (Commission for The Disappeared and Victims of Violence), we deplore the arrest and arbitrary detention […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the trial of an activist whom the policemen tortured and falsely charged eight years ago has been excessively delayed. The victim is being prosecuted for possession of illegal drugs based on planted evidence. Since his arrest, no investigation was conducted on his allegations […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the arrest and detention of Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, Secretary of Odhikar. The police arrested Adilur on 10 August at around 10:20 p.m. And on 11 August, at around 8 p.m., the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police raided Odhikar’s office, seizing documents and computers. The arrest and […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has previously issued a statement on the ongoing targeting and arrests of activists and farmers opposed to the expansion of an army-backed copper mining operation in the Letpadaung Hills of Sagaing Region (AHRC-STM-108-2013). In this appeal we bring you the full details of the numerous charges brought […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, one of most respected human rights defenders in Bangladesh and the Secretary of Odhikar. A group of plain clothed men picked up Mr. Adilur from his residence at 10:20 p.m., […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is informed that, at 10:20 p.m., on 10 August, officers from the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police have taken into custody, Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, one of the most respected human rights defenders in Bangladesh, from his residence in Dhaka. Adilur is the Secretary of Odhikar, a prominent […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received disturbing information from Defend Job Philippines regarding the threats of a demolition drive affecting more than 5500 families, or 30000 people of San Roque, North Triangle, Quezon City. The aforesaid demolition and eviction drive for making way to the implementation of the Vertis North Project […]

Human rights defender and philanthropic educator Shahed Kayes knew there were serious risks involved in his work. He had to, as nothing in Bangladesh comes without associated risks. He knew that his attempt to educate impoverished children from the low castes was unacceptable to the deeply entrenched local power structure and those at the top […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that Mr. Shahed Kayes, who is a leading human rights defender fighting against illegal sand mining in the Meghna River adjacent to the Mayadip and Nunertek islands, was abducted and stabbed on 25 July 2013. The assailants attempted to cut off his left […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the abduction and attack upon Mr. Shahed Kayes, a human rights defender working in Narayanganj district in Bangladesh. A group of persons abducted Mr. Shahed Kayes, a well-respected human rights defender, working in Narayanganj district of Bangladesh, yesterday, 25 July. The AHRC is informed that Kayes’ abductors, with […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the arrest of three activists whowere involved in a network to support for farmers whose land was confiscated by the armyin central Burma. Thelocal authorities have lodged charges against all three of them for failing to register their network as an organization, and […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received a report issued by a Christian organization, CLAAS (Center for Legal Aid, Assistance & Settlement), negating the stripping and parading of Christian women in what appears to be an attempt to exonerate those that violated the rights of  the women. Throughout the report, the organizations that joined […]

On Thursday, July 11, 2013, the verdict in the case of three human rights defenders —  JittraKotchadej, BoonrodPaiwong, and SoonthornBoonyord — will be read at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok. The charges against the human rights defenders stems from peaceful protests they held calling on the government to take action to protect […]

“The significance of the protest was no longer defined by the number of people who take part, but by the issues it reflects,” said Hong Kong Secretary for Transport and Housing Anthony Cheung Bing-Leung in a radio interview on the July 1 protests in Hong Kong, a pro-democracy icon in the region. It has been an interesting time […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the murder of Ms. Shamim Akhter (50), who worked for the Social Welfare organization in Tando Jam, Sindh province. She was brutally chopped to death by her husband Mr. Sajid Mahmood and Police Constable Usman Lodhi on 4 June 2013 (For further […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a women’s rights defender has been killed by her husband, who acted with the connivance of a police head constable. The local police held an internal inquiry and exonerated the police constable, going so far as to say that there was no such […]

(Hong Kong/Padang, Indonesia, June 26, 2013) To mark the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) released an advance version of its special report on practice of torture in Indonesia today. The report titled: “A facade of justice for torture victims in Indonesia”, is the first special […]