Human rights defenders

[UA-119-2006: BURMA: Court appeal against lawyer jailed for helping farmers contact ILO headed for Supreme Court; UA-071-2006: BURMA: Two villagers jailed for reporting extortion; UP-054-2006: BURMA: Appeal again thrown out of one court; another ridiculous day in another] ——————————————————————— BURMA: Extortion; impunity; illegal detention; un-rule of law; attacks on human rights defenders ——————————————————————— Dear friends, […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has come to learn of the Cambodian government’s intention to enact a law which would highly restrict the rights and activities of NGOs in the country. The decision to do this has come at a time when leading political figures have openly criticised the role of NGOs […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the disbanding of a peaceful gathering held by victims of the 1965 massacre, in Bandung, Indonesia on 20 May 2006 by civil militia groups. About one hundred persons belonging to the Laskar Siliwangi (Siliwangi Army) and Pemuda Panca Marga (The Youth of Military […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission expresses deep sadness on the occasion of the passing away of Suranjith Hewamanna in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Hewamanna was one of the bravest lawyers in the country during one of the hardest times faced by the judicial and legal professions. He embodied the fearlessness and conviction associated with advocacy at […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that unidentified men riding motorcycles reportedly spied upon human rights lawyer, Jobert Pahilga and activist, Ms. Marissa Dumanjug-Palo in separate incidents. Pahilga reported that two men riding on a motorcycle pursued him through his neighborhood when he went for a court hearing. On […]

The numerous appointments to key national commissions by the executive president, contravening constitutional requirements, are a very clear indication of Sri Lanka’s drift from a law-based society to one in which the law plays a significantly reduced role.  While criticism against presidential actions has pointed to matters including the fact that no person is above […]

[RE: FA-06-2004: THAILAND: A human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit missing… UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred; UP-24-2005: THAILAND: Thai minister refuses to act on missing human rights lawyer case; UP-37-2005: Thai PM orders action on missing human rights lawyer, while court hears […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2006 AS-092-2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) INDONESIA: Flawed state institutions unable to uncover Munir’s killers Close to two years after the death of Indonesia’s leading human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, little has been revealed regarding why he was killed and who was responsible. Local […]

SRI LANKA: Political undermining of the Human Rights Commission; absence of leadership within the Human Rights Commission; government control; failure to implement the 17th Amendment —————————————————— Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) once again writes to reaffirm its concern regarding the future of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC). On 4 […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you about an attempt made on the life of labour leader Gerardo Cristobal (35) in Imus, Cavite at around 6am today. Cristobal and his companion, Juliet Tayoto, were riding a car passing a crowded street in Barangay (village) Anabu, Coastal when another car, in […]

Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) again appears to have lost interest in the case of abducted human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit. After local human rights defenders obtained the cooperation of the Central Institute of Forensic Science to search an area of the Mae Klong River in Ratchaburi Province during late March, the DSI director-general, […]

[RE: UA-164-2004: The family receives death threats for demanding an impartial inquiry into the death of Munir; UP-30-2005: Unveiling of suspect in Munir’s death may end further inquiries; UP-47-2005: State intelligence officers delay Munir investigation; UP-72-2005: Mandate of fact-finding team into Munir’s murder should be extended and made more effective; UP-83-2005: Police fail to follow […]

[RE: UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred; UP-24-2005: THAILAND: Thai minister refuses to act on missing human rights lawyer case; UP-37-2005: Thai PM orders action on missing human rights lawyer, while court hears of torture; UP-45-2005: Wife of missing human rights lawyer intimidated; […]

An article in Friday’s Thai Day supplement to the International Herald Tribune quoted an officer of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) working on the case of abducted human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit as saying that “the case is proving very difficult” because “the DSI only took up the case late last year” (‘DSI condemned […]

In recent days a visitor to the banks of the Mae Klong River in Ban Pong of Ratchaburi province, west of Bangkok, might have noticed a little dinghy moving about in the middle of the swollen water, a small group of people watching from the shoreline. The dinghy has been occupied by forensic professionals, divers […]

[RE: FA-06-2004: THAILAND: A human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit missing… UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred; UP-24-2005: THAILAND: Thai minister refuses to act on missing human rights lawyer case; UP-37-2005: Thai PM orders action on missing human rights lawyer, while court hears […]

  [RE: UA-73-2004: THAILAND: Human rights defender faces preliminary decision in libel case on 21 June 2004 and UP-31 2004: THAILAND: Criminal Court decides to let libel suit against Ms Supinya Klangnarong proceed on 29 June 2004; UP-62-2004: THAILAND: Update on libel suit against media-reform activist Ms Supinya; UP-31-2005: THAILAND: Media reform campaigner Supinya holds […]

[RE: UA-73-2004: THAILAND: Human rights defender faces preliminary decision in libel case on 21 June 2004 and UP-31 2004: THAILAND: Criminal Court decides to let libel suit against Ms Supinya Klangnarong proceed on 29 June 2004; UP-62-2004: THAILAND: Update on libel suit against media-reform activist Ms Supinya; UP-31-2005: THAILAND: Media reform campaigner Supinya holds fund-raising […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a reliable source regarding the assault of two human rights defenders by army personnel of the Ranadal Gulma on 13 February 2006.  One of the human rights defenders, Kalli Bahadur Malla was seriously injured by the assault and had to go to hospital.   […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission welcomes the landmark ruling by the Supreme Court of Nepal on Monday February 13, 2006, which declared the controversial Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) unconstitutional and ordered it to be scrapped immediately. This has paved the way for the release of ousted Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who had […]