Human rights defenders

PHILIPPINES: ‘Morong 43’ case–exposes a prosecution system directly under political control

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) welcomes with reservations President Benigno Aquino III’s order to withdraw the charges against 43 health workers, collectively known as ‘Morong 43′, as reported today. We strongly believe, based on the documents and information that we have also obtained, that they should have not been arrested, detained, and forced to […]

PAKISTAN: Asma Jahangir awarded UN prize for promoting human rights

The Asian Human Rights Commission offers its warmest and sincere congratulations to Ms. Asma Jahangir on the announcement that Pakistan’s leading human rights defender has been named as this year’s winner of a United Nations award that recognizes outstanding individual contribution to promoting a culture of human rights around the world. The Director-General of the […]

INDONESIA: Secret Files Show Kopassus Targets Papuan Churches, Civilians

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following article from investigative journalist Allan Nairn regarding a secret Indonesian military report planning intelligence operations against civilians in Papua. The military has responded by justifying this approach. For more information please visit www.allannairn.com. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- (Jakarta, November 9, 2010) Secret […]

BURMA: The importance of Aung San Suu Kyi

Yesterday, 11 November 2010, the Supreme Court of Burma rejected a special appeal against the continued detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy, following the trespassing onto her premises of an American citizen in 2009. The Asian Human Rights Commission, among other groups, previously pointed to the contradictory, […]

THAILAND: Campaign page launched for Prachatai director

(Hong Kong, November 5, 2010) The Asian Human Rights Commission on Wednesday launched a new campaign webpage on the case of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, the director of the independent online news service Prachatai, who is facing multiple criminal charges over material that readers posted onto her website. The webpage, which is mostly in English but also […]

ASIA: Attacks on several human rights websites after release of Indonesian torture video

Since October 28, 2010, the Asian Human Rights Commission’s (AHRC) website has been subjected to a concerted “cyber-attack” in which computers with hidden locations and identities have been used to flood the website’s servers with fake requests, in order to overload it. This has resulted in visitors not being able to access the website’s content […]

BURMA/THAILAND: Gunmen allegedly fired upon Burmese factory workers holding a peaceful protest

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Burmese migrant workers in the city of Khon Kaen in north east Thailand, holding a peaceful protest against their employer for illegally keeping their legal documents, had allegedly been fired upon by gunmen. To frighten them, the gunmen fired shots into the community […]

CAMBODIA: Human Rights Activists (Part 2) — Mr. Hang Chakra

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following article from LICADHO The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- An article from LICADHO the Cambodia League for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission “A good […]

NEPAL: Still no relief for the school teacher dismissed for defending the rights of her Dalit students

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)  regrets to inform you that Ms. Pushpa Karki, a teacher who was fired in 2008 after having spoken against discriminatory practices which persisted in her school, has still not received any justice. For sixteen months, she has not received any relief or help. The persistence of caste-based […]

PHILIPPINES: Eleven activists laid with questionable murder complaints

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned over questionable complaints of murder laid against eleven human rights and political activists in Camarines Sur province. They had already been subpoenaed to respond to the complaint by the military that they were responsible for attacking a military camp, which killed two persons and […]

PHILIPPINES: Human rights defender speaks about the threat on his life in an interview

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) would like to share with you the interview it has conducted with Bernardino Patigas, one of the two human rights defenders whom we earlier reported to have been receiving threats on his life. In this interview, Patigas explained the nature of his human rights work which he […]

SRI LANKA: Where is Prageeth?

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from Reporters Without Borders. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Press Release from Reporters Without Borders forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) (Hong Kong, August 11, 2010) Reporters Without Borders/Reporters sans frontières English: http://en.rsf.org/sri-lanka-where-is-prageeth-10-08-2010,38113.html Français: http://fr.rsf.org/sri-lanka-ou-est-prageeth-10-08-2010,38112.html […]

UPDATE (Nepal): Progress stalled in the investigation of Arjun Lama’s disappearance

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to draw your attention on the necessity to continue and increase pressure to see that the perpetrators of Arjun Bahadur Lama’s abduction and murder are held accountable for their actions. Arjun Bahadur Lama was abducted on 29 April 2005 by cadres of the Communist Party of […]

HONG KONG: The Asian Human Rights Award for Creative Media to Ms. Josefina Bergsten, director and producer of UNJUST

(Hong Kong, July 23, 2010) The Asian Human Rights Commission announces the presentation of the Asian Human Rights Award for Creative Media to Ms. Josefina Bergsten as the producer and the director of the documentary UNJUST. The Presentation of the award will take place at Foreign Correspondents Club, Hong Kong, on the 27th July, 2010.  […]

PHILIPPINES: Two human rights defenders threatened to be killed

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern regarding the continuing threats to two human rights defenders. Both of them have received letters containing messages threatening to kill them in separate incidents. They are being told that their days are numbered and a hireling has been paid to kill them. These […]

NEPAL: A child is in danger after he is tortured by the family of a policeman; his lawyers are threatened

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is extremely concerned for the safety and health of a young boy, after he was badly tortured by the family of a police inspector. The 14 year old boy worked as a domestic helper in the house of Police Inspector Chet Bahadur Pathak in Kathmandu, and was […]

INDONESIA: Anti-corruption activist maimed in South Jakarta

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that an anti corruption activist in Jakarta has been attacked with a machete by unknown assailants. The activist had helped to produce a recent controversial report for Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) on bank accounts held by high ranking police. There are concerns that the attack […]

PHILIPPINES: Rights group challenges P-Noy to run after torturers

June 25, 2010. Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) and relatives of political prisoners/detainees join the other members of UATC or the United Against Torture Coalition Philippines and the freedom from torture advocates worldwide in commemorating the International Day in Support of Torture Victims by challenging P-Noy to release all political prisoners/detainees who are […]

Invitation to Consultancy Services

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to inform you about the following invitation to consultancy services. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) invites proposals for the following work: Consultancy services to develop a Result Based Monitoring System and PME (Planning-Monitoring-Evaluation) framework for AHRC/ALRC 1. Purpose and specific objective […]

INDIA: Country celebrates the 61st day of successful oppression in Manipur

Statement | India | 11-06-2010

Today, the Union Home Ministry, the Chief Ministers of Manipur and Nagaland and a handful of Naga and Meitei nationalists are celebrating the 61st day of their successful enforcement of an indefinite economic blockade organised against the ordinary people living in Manipur state. In tribute to the strenuous effort of the All Naga Students Association […]