Human rights defenders

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Herman Kumara, a well-respected Sri Lankan human rights defender has received a number of death threats after he helped organize fishermen in protest of rising fuel prices. Soon after, he was followed by a group of people in a white van who […]

One of the sad truths that we have to live with today is that the people’s struggles for human rights are highly fragmented in India. Equally disheartening is the fact that whenever or wherever human rights comes up for discussion, it is addressed in piecemeal, ignoring and leaving far behind a comprehensive approach to rights […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding continuous death threats to environmental rights activists at Sonargaon in Narayanganj district for resisting the illegal mining of sand from the Meghna Rivera that threatens the existence of 900 families living in Mayadip and Nunertek islands under the Sonargaon sub-district of Narayanganj. […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is calling for court observers at the resumption of the trial of ten activists, who are being prosecuted under Criminal Code on trespassing and coercion in relation to peaceful protest that was held on 12 December 2007 in Thailand. The Black case No. is 4383/2553. The trial […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a leader of a fisher folk rights-based movement and human rights activist was threatened with abduction and death by a Lieutenant Colonel of the Pakistan Rangers on 9 February 2012. At around midnight, 20-25 rangers cordoned off his house and entered it without […]

[RE: AHRC-FPR-006-2011: THAILAND: Calling to observe for court trial of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, director of Prachatai website, on 4 – 17 February 2011, 9.00am – 4.00pm at the Criminal Court] ——————————————————————— Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is calling for court observers at the resumption of the trial of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, director of the […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to strongly protest against the search and seizure of seven places including the offices of several rights group and of houses belonging to their staff by National Intelligence Service (NIS) on February 9, 2012 under the National Security Act (NSA) and is concerned with the increase in legal […]

[RE: AHRC-UAC-083-2010: SOUTH KOREA: A criminal charge filed against a lawyer for providing legal advice] ——————————————————————— The State of Human Rights in South Korea in 2011 http://www.humanrights.asia/resources/hrreport/2011/AHRC-SPR-010-2011/view ——————————————————————— Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the case of Mr. Kwon Young-gook, a lawyer who faced criminal charges for obstruction the […]

Government has to Take on Military and Intelligence Services and end Impunity  (New York, January 30, 2012) – The Pakistani government should redouble efforts to find the killers of the journalist Saleem Shahzad, following the failure of the judicial inquiry commission to identify those responsible, Human Rights Watch said today. The commission concluded in its […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a fisher folk activist and human rights defender was attacked and killed by land grabbers in December 2011. Three persons were injured in the attack and they have not been provided any medical assistance by the authorities The police were reluctant to file […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern that a community journalist had been threatened for condemning the murder of his colleague in General Santos City. The threats made to him sent via his mobile phone cannot be taken lightly as there had been a pattern of targeted attacks against journalists […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern on the continued prosecution of Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie, a human rights defender, for murder charges based on evidence taken by way of forced confessions. We call on the Department of Justice to (DoJ) to drop the charges on him promptly due to serious […]

The continued prosecution of human rights activist Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie, on murder charges based on forced confessions, indicates how human rights are understood in his society of Sulu, and by the public officials ruling it. The case against him questions not only the legality of evidence or the denial of due process, but also reveals […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from Front Line Defenders regarding the case of Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie. You can also visit http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/17068  to take action. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Press Release from Front Line Defenders forwarded by the Asian Human Rights […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned by the continued prosecution of Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie, a human rights defender of Tausug roots (one of the indigenous Muslim tribes), and four of his co-accused, for charges of murder in connection with a bombing incident on May 13, 2009 in Patikul, Sulu. The evidence against them was […]

All Sri Lankans will wish that the coming year will not be like the last one and, in fact, that it be different from previous years also, years in which deep insecurity has been prevailing due to the failure of the political system, resulting in serious problems in the legal system. People reduced to powerlessness […]

The citation read at the NIA presentation recognizing the unyielding integrity, personal commitment and courage of J C Weliamuna, former Executive Director – TISL & Director – Transparency International. Born on the 29th of August, 1961 in Walasmulla, Beliatta in the Hambantota District and educated at St. Aloysius College in Galle, Sri Lanka Law College […]

Two human rights organisations, the Sri Lanka Human Rights Centre and the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) issued a statement on December 11, 2011 expressing concern and shock regarding the disappearances of Lalith Kumar Weeraju and Kugan Murugan while they were engaged in activities in preparation of the Human Rights Day. Both of […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2011 The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) today published its 25-page report containing its analyses on what it has observed as the irreparable ‘social and systemic impact’ of the ongoing violations of human rights in the […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2011 The international community, including leading human rights agencies and organisations, has failed to understand the depth of collapse of rule of law in Sri Lanka and have failed to make any effective intervention in this […]