Human rights defenders

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following open letter from Thai and International Non-Government Organisations and Individuals to Prime Minister of Thailand. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ——- AHRC-FOL-006-2012 June 5, 2012 An Open Letter from Thai and International Non-Government Organisations and Individuals forwarded by the […]

เรียน กัลยาณมิตร ในวันที่ 6 มิถุนายน 2555 เวลา 9.00 น. ที่ศาลจังหวัดลำพูน จะมีการอ่านคำพิพากษาศาลฎีกาในคดีเกี่ยวกับนักเคลื่อนไหวด้านสิทธิในที่ดินสามคนทางภาคเหนือ จำเลยทั้งสามคน ได้แก่ นายประเวศน์ ปันป่า นายรังสรรค์ แสนสองแคว และ นายสืบสกุล กิจนุกร ซึ่งมีโอกาสถูกพิพากษาจำคุกนานถึงสี่ปี สำหรับการเคลื่อนไหวยึดครองที่ดิน ในระหว่างปี 2545 – 2547 ชะตากรรมของชายทั้งสามคนจะถูกตัดสินด้วยคำพิพากษา เช่นเดียวกับสิทธิในที่ดิน และสิทธิในการดำรงชีวิต ของคนในภาคเหนือทั่วไป ทางคณะกรรมาธิการสิทธิมนุษยชนแห่งเอเชีย (Asian Human Rights Commission: AHRC) เรียกร้องให้ทุกคนที่เกี่ยวข้องเข้ารับฟังการพิจารณาคดีครั้งนี้ และเรียกร้องให้ผู้สนใจติดตามผลการตัดสินอย่างใกล้ชิด โดยคณะกรรมาธิการสิทธิมนุษยชนแห่งเอเชียจะส่งเจ้าหน้าที่ไปร่วมสังเกตการณ์คดีด้วย ตั้งแต่ช่วงกลางทศวรรษ 1990 (พ.ศ.2533) เกษตรกรและองค์กรพัฒนาเอกชนได้รวมตัวเป็นขบวนการปฏิรูปที่ดินระดับชุมชนในภาคเหนือของไทย ในปี 2544 เริ่มมีการยึดครองที่ดินซึ่งถูกทิ้งร้างไม่ได้ใช้ประโยชน์ โดยเฉพาะในที่ดินซึ่งมีข้อพิพาท แม้จะมีเหตุผลสนับสนุนตามกฎหมายจากการปฏิรูปที่ดินในไทยและกฎหมายการใช้ที่ดิน แต่ผลจากการปฏิบัติการเป็นเหตุให้ผู้นำชุมชนและสมาชิกในขบวนการถูกตั้งข้อกล่าวหาบุกรุกและทำลายทรัพย์สินส่วนบุคคล คำตัดสินของศาลฎีกาเกี่ยวข้องกับสองคดีที่มีจำเลยสามคน ได้แก่ นายประเวศน์ ปันป่า อายุ 64 […]

Bangladesh’s State Minister for Home Affairs Mr. Shamsul Haque Tuku has advised the journalists to keep a ‘safe distance’ from the country’s police while both the journalists and the police are on duty. The minister is cited in the national media including The Daily Star’s online edition on 30 May 2012, that he said, “I […]

Dear friends, On 30 May 2012, the Criminal Court read its verdict in the case in Black Case No. 1667/2553, in which Chiranuch Premchaiporn was charged with ten alleged violations of the 2007 Computer Crimes Act (CCA). Chiranuch is the 44-year-old webmaster of Prachatai, an independent online news site, which has served as an important […]

Shortly after a joint  statement condemning the violent and arbitrary arrest of 13 women from the Boeung Kak community, Housing Rights Task Force (HRTF), Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT), Equitable Cambodia, Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), Community Legal Education Centre (CLEC), Inclusive Development International (IDI), and Licadho Canada express their […]

Dear friends, On 30 May 2012, at 10 am in the Criminal Court in Bangkok, the verdict in the case of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, charged with ten counts of allegedly violating the 2007 Computer Crimes Act in Black Case No. 1667/2553, will be read. The reading, which had been scheduled for one month ago, was unexpectedly […]

Dear friends, On 30 May 2012, at 10 am in the Criminal Court in Bangkok, the verdict in the case of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, charged with ten counts of allegedly violating the 2007 Computer Crimes Act in Black Case No. 1667/2553, will be read. The reading, which had been scheduled for one month ago, was unexpectedly […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission is shocked by the total disregard for fair trial by the Phnom Penh municipal court, which summarily sentenced 13 women activists who engaged in peaceful demonstrations demanding proper demarcation of their land boundaries in the Boeung Kak lake area. Photo: Children crying after their mothers, who are detained inside the […]

Once again journalists have been physically attacked in Bangladesh. The attack happened on Monday night, 28 May 2012, at the office of BD News24.Com, an online bilingual national news portal of the country. This time the journalists and their associate staff were stabbed by a gang. Three victims including Sub-editor Newaz Mohammed Rifaat, Correspondent Salahuddin […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS) concerning the service of a “show cause” notice to human rights defender Ms Madhuri Krishnaswami on 10 May 2012 by District Magistrate Barwani in Madya Pradesh state. This “show cause” notice requests Madhuri to justify why she should […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is informed that District Magistrate Barwani in Madhya Pradesh state has issued a “show cause” notice to human rights defender Ms. Madhuri Krishnaswami on 10 May 2012 asking her why actions should not be initiated against her under the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Suraksha Adhiniyam, 1990 (Madhya Pradesh State Security, […]

India will be evaluated at the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Switzerland today. The three countries (Troika) involved in the review are Kuwait, Mauritius and Mexico. That these countries have worse records of human rights in comparison to the country they would collectively review suggests how firmly, and perhaps blindly, such processes are […]

(Hong Kong/Geneva/Jakarta 23 May 2012) Today, the Indonesia’s human rights record was reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council in the 13th session of the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Switzerland. Key issues, such as the protection of freedom of religion or the human rights situation in Papua, were raised by many UN Member States […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) was deeply distressed to learn that a government employee, who opposed the construction of a huge dam that threatens to submerge the villages of indigenous communities, has been killed. He was murdered after he had allegedly been subjected to an overt surveillance. CASE DETAILS: (Based on the documentation […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that two journalists have been killed while two others have received threats in separate incidents in April and May. The AHRC is deeply concerned by the ongoing attacks on journalists as a result of their work depriving them of the protection necessary […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned about the killing of an indigenous leader inside his domicile in Bukidnon province. Since 2011, the victim has been receiving threats to his life from members of a paramilitary group due to his anti-mining advocacy in their village. His murder was aggravated by lack […]

A Press Release from the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) 24 April 09h00 GMT GENEVA — Former Swiss President and newly-appointed Chair of the Martin Ennals Foundation, Micheline Calmy-Rey, today announced the nominees for the 2012 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) at […]

PLEASE MORE DOCUMENTATIONS ON THE CASE OF F M A RAZZAK http://www.humanrights.asia/campaigns/attack-on-fma-razzak ————————————————————- Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) previously issued Urgent Appeals on several occasions regarding the physical attack on human rights defender Mr. F M A Razzak and demanded fair investigation and fair trial to the case. Now, the AHRC has […]

Referring to the reactions of the government of West Bengal to demands of public causes and justice under the leadership of Ms. Mamata Banerjee, as paranoid, would be in fact an understatement. The state government led by the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) that was elected to power – reflecting the people’s wish for change, […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information from MASUM, concerning the forced eviction of the residents of 300 houses by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority undertaken on 28 and 30 March 2012. The residents are reportedly victims of hurricane Aila from the Sundarban and those displaced from Nandigram of East Midnapur […]