Human rights defenders

Dear friends, As earlier reported the fabricated charges against Mr. Razzak and Mr. Shankar and their risk of torture in police custody (AHRC-UAU-065-2008), the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has obtained information today that the police asked detainee’s relatives to pay more bribes so that they will not be tortured. The officers also threatened that […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has obtained information that Yosias Syet was found dead in his house on 17 October 2008. The autopsy confirmed that he had been murdered and it is alleged that the murder was designed to threaten the Head of the Papuan Customary Council, Fokorus Yaboisembut, since Yosias Syet […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the Paikgachha police of Khulna district arbitrarily arrested and detained two human rights defenders on false charges and allegedly ill treated them on November 3. It is reported that the police had already received a bribe from the wife of one detainee and […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern regarding the continued detention of a labour lawyer after having been arbitrarily arrested from his house on murder charges. He first briefly disappeared on October 23 but was later found to be in police custody. Apart from the murder, he was also falsely […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern about the continuing threats to four union leaders, including a union president, and dozens of other workers. Others preferred not to divulge their names. The soldiers had deliberately warned them, one after another that they would suffer consequences if they not stop their […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the whereabouts of an activist who disappeared on 17 September 2008 remains unknown. The victim’s disappearance took place after he had shared with his family that he noticed vehicles routinely following him from his house to his work. CASE DETAILS: (According to information […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that Mr. Akash, a human rights defender as well as journalist, has been facing unfair trial in an allegedly false extortion charge against him in Rajshahi. During the court proceedings the prosecutor was seen assisting to the alleged complainant providing information on what […]

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) strongly condemns the grenade attack on 27 September against prominent Sri Lankan human rights lawyer, J.C Weliamuna, and calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to launch a prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigation. At around 11.30 pm on the 27 September a grenade exploded on Mr. Weliamuna’s balcony […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to bring to your attention a serious threat to the lawyers who practice their profession independently and particularly those who appear for victims of human rights abuses and in corruption cases in Sri Lanka by way of attacks, death threats and other forms of intimidation. On […]

(Hong Kong, September 28, 2008) Last night at 11:40 pm in Colombo, Sri Lanka a grenade was thrown inside the house of the leading lawyer J.C. Weliamuna, who is the Executive Director of Transparency International in Sri Lanka, and a well- known human rights lawyer. Severe damage was caused to a part of the upper […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that eight human rights activists accused of disseminating pamphlets on the allegation of land expropriations were sentenced by the district court on 14 August, 2008 in Aceh, Indonesia. The case is currently pending in the High court after the prosecutor lodged an appeal. It […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern that four human rights activists, all of whom are staff members of the Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights (KARAPATAN) in Cebu City, have been receiving threatening messages on their mobile phones. The message contains warning they will “suffer the consequence” if […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that, a Pastor whom we reported in October 2006 to have been harassed by armed men, is once again being threatened with death. The threat to him was carried out in the following way.  After officiating at Sunday Mass, he was given an […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Guria, a local human rights organisation working on women trafficking in Uttar Pradesh regarding the death threats on human rights defenders associated with Guria. Four unknown persons allegedly engaged in human trafficking in Varanasi threatened to kill the activists associated with Guria. The […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the five men, collectively known as the Tagaytay Five, whom we reported to have been missing but were later found in police custody two years ago, will have their petition seeking the dismissal of their case heard tomorrow, July 18. The five […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned by the constant, serious threats and attacks on women rights activists who have been working for justice for the deceased Ms. Laxmi Bohara, who had been allegedly killed by her husband on 6 June 2008. For details of the alleged killing of Laxmi, please […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has obtained information that two activists appealing the illegal arrest of others, and one activist monitoring police violence during recent protests, were arrested on 25 June and 30 June 2008 respectively and later charged with instigating an illegal protest in South Korea. CASE DETAILS: On 25 June […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the police allegedly ordered parents to pay a bribe of 150000 riels (US$37.5) each if their sons were not to be arrested after these youths had damaged a party sign in Soeung commune, Bor Keo district, Rattankiri province. On 2 July 2008, they arrested […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the MASUM, a local human rights group working from West Bengal, India that their office was searched and documents seized by the West Bengal Police on 12 June 2008. MASUM is a human rights group of high reputation and has intervened in several […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Working Group on Justice for Peace (WGJP) in Thailand that a man disappeared after making complaints about corruption at the Bann Phai Police Station in Thailand on 7 February 2008. The AHRC is concerned that his disappearance is a result of his […]