Human rights defenders

FORWARDED APPEAL (Sri Lanka): Fear for safety: J.C. Weliamuna, human rights lawyer and His Family

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding an appeal received from Amnesty International regarding a grenade attack on a human rights lawyer who is the director of Transparency International Sri Lanka in Colombo. If you have further queries in this case, please feel free to contact the office of Amnesty International. Thank […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (Pakistan): Arrest of human rights defenders in Pakistan

Dear friends, Please see below a letter sent by a group of organisations in Thailand to the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, regarding the arrest of human rights defenders during a recent peaceful assembly in Pakistan. Interested persons can write similar letters to the President of Pakistan and to Pakistani embassies or consulates in […]

NEPAL: The Unacceptable Prohibition of Freedom of Movement of Human Rights Defender

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward a statement issued by a group of human rights organisations in Nepal, with regard to the unacceptable prohibition of freedom of movement of human rights defenders. For the security of these organisations, we do not provide their names. The AHRC raised its concern regarding […]

INDIA: Manipur state government closing down independent media and civic organizations

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is very concerned by the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Manipur, Assam where numerous human rights groups and non-governmental organizations are being forced to close their offices. We are forwarding information from the Centre for Organisation Research and Education (CORE) about an independent media organization that […]

INDIA: Human rights defender murdered in Uttar Pradesh

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from Voice of the People (VoP), Uttar Pradesh, People’s Watch Tamilnadu (PWTN) and People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) Uttar Pradesh concerning the murder of Mr. Hari Lal. It is reported that Hari Lal was a leader of the VoP, an […]

PHILIPPINES: Petition asking President Aquino to take custody of a falsely charged activist

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding a petition asking President Benigno Aquino III and his officials to consider taking into their custody Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie, a prominent human rights defender in Sulu, Mindanao Island, who had to go on hiding after being falsely charged on charges of murder. Tulawie is willing […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (India): Further arrests and ill-treatment of human rights defenders by security forces

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you an appeal from the Front Line regarding the case of arrest, detention and suspected torture of  human rights defenders in the Indian state of Manipur. Several human rights organisations across the world have expressed their concern for the safety of these human […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (Iran): Ailing female human rights defender Shadi Sadr is beaten and arrested

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from the Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network about the violent abduction and illegal detention of their ailing colleague, human rights lawyer Shadi Sadr. Please join them in calling for her release and for her access to immediate medical treatment. […]

PHILIPPINES: Labour rights activist killed in Santa Rosa City

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal from the National Coalition for the Protection of Workers’ Rights (NCPWR) regarding the murder of Edward Panganiban, a labour rights activist. If you have any question, please contact the group’s email at: ncpwr.st@gmail.com and granahe.st@gmail.com Thank you. Urgent Appeals Desk Asian […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (Thailand): Five student activists advocating human rights are at risk of torture

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal that five student activists advocating human rights have disappeared from their dormitory on 15 August 2008 in southern Thailand. Two of whom had previously been arrested in January of this year. The disappeared victims, all are students of the Yala Rajabhat […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (India): Human rights defender arrested for organising public hearing on torture in West Bengal

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from People’s Watch Tamil Nadu (PWTN) concerning the arrest, detention and subsequent release of a human rights defender, Mr. Kirity Roy, in West Bengal. Roy is associated with MASUM a partner organisation of the PWTN that has jointly undertaken to document of […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (Indonesia): Alleged unlawful arrest of an activist

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal regarding the arrest of Mr. Muhammad Rusdi, a farmer in Karang Mendapo village who has been actively involved in campaigning against land-grabbing by a private company. It is reported that the reason for his arrest was to silence other farmers on the […]

SOUTH KOREA: Immigration service ordered union leader to leave for his activity

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from Migrants Trade Union (MTU) regarding the visa cancellation and deportation order by March 7, 2011 of the president of the MTU Mr. Michel Catuira, allegedly based on his activities for the union. The migrant workers working at the MTU have continued […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (South Korea): Police adopt violence to suppress a peaceful demonstration in Korea

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal letter issued by Sarangbang Group for Human Rights, a human rights organisation based in Seoul. On 15 March 2006, a demonstration was held against the expansion of the US military base to Daechri in Pyungtaek from Seoul. Though the demonstration was […]

PHILIPPINES: Surveillance on a labour leader in Laguna

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal from Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan, a local labour organization in Laguna province, about the surveillance and harassment on labour leader Hermenegildo Marasigan. Marasigan, national president of Organized Labor Association in Line Industries and Agriculture- Kilusang Mayo Uno (Olalia-KMU), have […]

PHILIPPINES: A farmer advocating for land reform killed

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal from the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) about the killing of Moises Fuentes, a farmer advocating for land reform in Maramag, Bukidnon. For more details, contact the TFDP: National Center, 45 Saint Mary Street Cubao, Quezon City, the Philippines; […]

BANGLADESH: Human rights defender, Mr FMA Razzak, in a critical condition in hospital following abduction and brutal attack

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from Front Line regarding the deadly attack on human rights defender FMA Razzak and gouging his eyes and seriously fracturing his hand and leg by the family of an army major of Bangladesh. The appeal is available at: http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/15038 . For more information, please […]

SINGAPORE: High Court upheld Dr. Chee’s conviction for speaking in public without a permit

Dear friends,   The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal from the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) regarding the affirmation of the High Court of the guilty verdict on Dr. Chee Soon Juan for “speaking in public without a permit”.     For more details, please contact them at this website: […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (India) : Stop contaminating environment and health of Dharavi Bhet communities

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from the Asian Center for the Progress of Peoples (ACPP) – Hotline Asia. SUMMARY: Villagers from indigenous communities in Dharavi Bhet (island) in Mira-Bhayander municipal boundary, west of Mumbai, have been protesting against a garbage recycling plant, Hanjar Biotech Pvt. Ltd., of […]

PHILIPPINES: Two anti-mining activists face threats after the murder of their colleague

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal regarding the threats on two anti-mining activists, Nenita Lacasa and Carolyn Borja of Eastern Samar, Visayas. In their appeal, the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), a local human rights organization, reported that shots were fired at the houses of […]