Military

When General Sonthi Boonyaratglin led the armed forces of Thailand to overthrow the caretaker government of Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin Shinawatra on September 19, the military indicated that it would withdraw from politics within two weeks, having set in place an interim constitution and premier. Interim constitution and premier are now there as promised. And […]

There has been a lot of misunderstanding about the September 19 coup in Thailand. Many foreign correspondents, tourist bloggers and other casual observers have written that the local market is still busy, people are smiling politely as usual, and life seems to be going on like normal. The coup has been described as “courteous” and […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the military coup in Thailand and calls for immediate restoration of civilian government. At approximately 10pm on September 19 a group of officers headed by army Commander-in-Chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin took power while Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was attending the UN General Assembly in New York. The group, […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that army Lieutenant General Rukmangat Katuwal was appointed as army Chief of Staff of Nepal on September 10, 2006, by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. Mr. Katuwal, who was set to retire before this appointment took effect, stands accused of being responsible for a plethora of […]

Maina Sunawar was 15 years old when members of the Nepalese armed forces arbitrarily arrested her. Since this date – February 17, 2004 – she has disappeared. All the evidence indicates that she was tortured to death by members of the military, who have since sought to deny her arrest and cover up her death. […]

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed of yet another incident of intimidation and inhuman treatment by the Indian Army officers from Manipur, a state in the north-east of India. On 15 July 2006, a vehicle in which the representatives of the student movement in Manipur were traveling, while on their […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from its local partner in India, MASUM about yet another brutal killing by the Border Security Forces (BSF) at the Indo-Bangladesh border. According to the information received Mr. Saifuddin, a farmer was forcefully taken into custody by the BSF officers on 1 June 2006, […]

It is with great concern that we watch the rapid deterioration of – perhaps it would be more accurate to say the deliberate flaunting of – the rule of law and international norms in Western Asia.  You, like most persons who have been following developments there, are familiar with the relevant facts: An Israeli soldier […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to express our deep concern with regard to ongoing grave human rights violations being perpetrated by armed vigilante groups in Nepal. The AHRC congratulates the Government of Nepal for their role in recent events in Nepal, which raise hopes of an end to the gross […]

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 […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received the following information regarding the brutal death of farmer Mr. Bagbul Islam Mondal from its partner organisation Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (Masum). On 12 May 2006, Mr. Bagbul and his brother Masidul were working on their farm cultivating paddy crops at dag. No 273 and […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from its local partner, Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (Masum), regarding the death of Mr. Abhilash Mondal, who was shot dead by the Border Security Force (BSF) officers stationed at Out Post number 1, Harudanga Camp (136 Battalion of BSF) on 17 April 2006. It is […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a family of villagers in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, was forced to abandon their home and live elsewhere for fear of continued harassment by the military. Elements of the 24th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army, led by Master Sergeant Rollie Castillo allegedly continued to harass […]

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 […]

[RE: UP-013-2006: BANGLADESH: Three persons tortured by the Chapainawabganj police; UA-041-2006: BANGLADESH: Eight people killed and at least one hundred injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district; UA-013-2006: BANGLADESH: Two people killed and thirty-five injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district] ———————————– UP-016-2006: BANGLADESH: Three detained and tortured leaders have been released from prison in […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that ten students were beaten by soldiers of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). The victims were demanding the punishment of some errant staff of the public transport system for charging extra bus fares to college students. When the students blocked the road that the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information concerning an alleged attack on three hamlets in South Sulawesi by a group of army personnel in retaliation over a traffic accident. On 29 November 2005, soldiers from Haerudin’s battalion attacked three hamlets, Karama, Bonto Gaddong and Ujung Moncong, Janeponto, South Sulawesi. They and […]

[RE: UP-43-2005: SAUDI ARABIA/SRI LANKA: Questions remain in Sri Lanka’s willingness to save three of its citizens; UP-39-2005: Three Sri Lankans face imminent execution in Saudi Arabia; UP-38-2005: SAUDI ARABIA/SRI LANKA: Please send a letter to the King of Saudi Arabia urging his intervention to commute the death sentence of three Sri Lankans; UP-34-2005: Death […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding 73 workers from the Orex Factory in Ekala, Jaela, Sri Lanka, who were unlawfully dismissed after the owner arbitrarily closed down the factory in 2002. The AHRC previously reported that the owner, Mohamed Mohamed Izzath deprived his workers of the Employees Trust […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Forum for Indigenous Perspectives and Action in Manipur, India regarding human rights violations committed by the security personnel at Thanga Karang, Bishenpur District, Manipur. According to the information received, members of the 73 Mountain Brigade under the aegis of 57 Mountain Division […]