Human rights defenders

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding two human rights leaders murdered on May 5 by notorious land mafia from the ruling party, Pakistan Peoples’ Party. The land mafia has been occupying the forest land threatening the right to life and food security of 350 families living in the […]

Bangladeshi national FMA Razzak is the President of the Human Rights Development Centre (HRDC) and Editor of the Pakkhik Gonomichhil in Paikgachha of Khulna district, Bangladesh. On April 29, 2011, Razzak and his younger brother, Mr. Bodiuzzaman Bodiar; brother-in-law, Mr. Bakkar, were attacked after having been kidnapped by the relatives of an army major, Mustafizur […]

WORLD: An appeal for assistance for FMA Razzak (Hong Kong, May 6, 2011) The Asian Human Rights Commission has launched an appeal for financial support for medical, legal and security expenses for human rights defender, Mr. FMA Razzak of Bangladesh. We reproduce below this appeal which was issued yesterday. Payment may be made online; please […]

(Hong Kong, May 5, 2011) The inhabitants of Paikgachha have again held a rally demanding the arrest of Mustafizur Rahman Bokul, a major in the Bangladesh army, and his aides for gouging the eyes of human rights defender FMA Razzak and his brother Bodiuzzaman Bodiar. The rally was held at the zero point of Paikgachha […]

Basil Fernando The attack on FMA Razzak led by Major Mustafizur of the Bangladesh military (BANGLADESH: Army officer’s family gouges eyes and torture after kidnapping Human Rights Defender FMA Razzak, who is going to die without treatment due to pressures from armed forces and intelligence agencies) is now well known. The implications of military officers […]

(Hong Kong, May 4, 2011) The Asian Human Rights Commission welcomes the visit of the Minister for Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh, Prof. AFM Ruhul Haque MP, to human rights defender Mr. FMA Razzak. Razzak has been receiving treatment for his gouged eyes and broken hand and leg that was caused as a result […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission calls upon all human rights organizations of the world to respond to a brutal attack on a well-known human rights defender in Bangladesh, FMA Razzak and his brother by an army officer and his family. The details of the assault are given below. So far, despite of complaints no inquiries […]

(Hong Kong, May 3, 2011) The Asian Human Rights Commission has launched a new campaign website calling for the protection of human rights defender Mr. FMA Razzak, as well as calling for holding genuine criminal investigations regarding the attack on Mr. Razzak.  This newly launched campaign site will contain all materials regarding the brutal attack […]

At a press conference in Thailand on 24 April 2011, Somsak Jeamteerasakul and several coalitions of academics, human rights activists, and journalists released statements calling for the protection of freedom of speech in Thailand. These statements were in response to a series of blatant threats made towards Somsak over comments that some people have considered […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to draw your attention to the harassment and threats faced by Ms. Yaena Salaemae, a long-time Woman Human Rights Defender (WHRD) in Tak Bai district of Narathiwat province in southern Thailand. The state authorities used an attack on a police checkpoint near her house to search […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a person was abducted by the Taliban on suspicion of working for NGOs. After his escape he was then abducted by the military on suspicion of working for the Taliban. Mr. Hameed Ullah Khan, a human rights defender and social worker, was abducted […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that the Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn. Bhd. Company, a firm whom we earlier reported to have threatened to commence legal action against a human rights lawyer, Mr. Charles Hector Fernandez, for blogging about alleged violations of the migrant workers rights the company has […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Badrama Abhyaranya Vikas Parisad and SPREAD, two human rights organisations working in Odisha state, India, concerning the attack upon the life of a human rights defender in Sambalpur district of the state. It is reported that the attack was premeditated and suspected to […]

A Statement from a group of concerned media organisations in Sri Lanka forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission 24th March 2011 In view of insecurity created by a series of incidents in the aftermath of the arson attack of Lanka e-News, staff of Lanka e-News, concerned media and human rights organizations in Sri Lanka […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets, but is not surprised, that the five defendants who were earlier convicted for theft and illegal detention, in connection with the disappearance of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit, have all been exonerated in an Appeal verdict. The court ruled to acquit all the defendants on […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) informed you on 4 March 2011 regarding death threat to the family of F. M. A. Razzak, a human rights defender by the relatives of an officer the Bangladesh Army (For further details, please see our latest Urgent Appeal Update: AHRC-UAU-013-2011).  Now, the AHRC has received updated information […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is calling for court observers to hear the reading of the verdict on the case of Somchai Neelaphaijit tomorrow, March 11, 2011, in Bangkok. The date of the reading of the verdict is significant as it marks the eve of Somchai’s disappearance seven years ago. The reading, […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the murder of human rights activist Mr. Niyamat Ansari in Kope Gram Panchayat of Latehar District, Jharkhand state, on 2 March, as well as a similar attempt on the same day upon the life of his associate Mr. Bhukhan Singh. It is reported […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding death threat to the family of F. M. A. Razzak, a human rights defender, and his well-wishers from the relatives of an officer the Bangladesh Army regarding an illegitimate claim of ownership of a land, which had already been settled by the concerned […]

Pakistan, the Asian Human Rights Commission and the world at large has lost a great advocate in the cause of human rights in general and religious minorities in particular by the brutal assassination of Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, the Federal Minister for Religious Minorities. Mr. Bhatti, the only Christian minister, was shot to death while traveling […]