Military

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the assassination 12 years ago, of prominent human rights activist, Munir Said Thalib, has passed without any progress being made. Munir was poisoned to death on 7 September 2004 on board a Garuda Indonesian flight from Jakarta to Amsterdam. Recently, some movement occurred when the court […]

The dust has barely settled on the Quetta carnage and killing of lawyers that another attack has taken place against the Judiciary. On 2 September 2016, terror once again visited District Court Mardan, Peshawar, KPK Province. The modus operandi was similar: a suicide attacker lobbed a hand grenade before exploding himself at the main gate […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding four activists and one journalist, indicted over anti-draft constitution leaflets. The Public Prosecutor has asked the Court to revoke the defendants’ right to vote for ten years. UPDATED INFORMATION: (Based on documentation by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights) On 29 August 2016, […]

August 8, 2016, will forever remain etched on the collective memory of the nation for years to come. The planned suicide attack on the lawyers, the crème de la crème of our society, shows the vindictive designs of the establishment. The State has aided and abetted non-State actors to silence the voices of dissent against […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding three young activists, one local land rights defender, and two human rights documentation officers from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), who have been summoned for charges after organizing a constitution related event in the Northeast of Thailand. According to TLHR, all […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the arbitrary arrest and detention of Ms. Musliha Masae and her husband Mr. Ibroheng under martial law in southern Thailand. The couple, both authors, were arrested by a joint police and military force on August 12 at Taloe Kapor Beach. The authorities […]

This week Just Asia begins with Thailand, where 25-year-old Jatupat Boonyapatraksa is continuing his hunger strike at Phu Khiao District Prison, Chaiyaphum province to protest against the country’s broken justice system. Jatupat was arrested on August 6 for distributing anti constitution flyers. The Resistant Citizen group have invited ordinary Thai people to write post cards […]

On 7 August 2016, Thailand held a referendum to decide upon the country’s new constitution, as drafted by the military. Preliminary results indicate that 62 percent voted in favour of the constitution, while a majority also agreed that a military nominated Senate should be allowed to select the Prime Minister together with the House of […]

From 11-14 August 2016, 17 explosions took place in seven provinces in Southern Thailand causing a number of deaths and property damages. On 13 August 2016, the Thai authorities responded. They invoked Section 44 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim), B.E. 2557 (2014). It allows them to hold several suspects in custody, […]

Balochistan Province continues to suffer the wrath of law enforcement agencies; even by official figures, corpses found are threatening to breach the 1,000 mark in recent years. The real numbers are greater, with violent death scarring the countryside and blotting humanity. According to official reports, nearly a thousand bullet-ridden corpses have been recovered from various […]

This week Just Asia begins with the senseless and brutal attack on lawyers in Quetta, Balochistan on August 8. The blast killed 97 persons, including 63 lawyers, and more than 120 persons including women and children were injured. The attack occurred amidst a gathering to pay respects to the assassinated President of the Bar Association. […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding student activists who have been arrested in Thailand. According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), only one day before the referendum, the Thai authorities arrested two pro-democracy activists in Chaiyaphum province, northeastern Thailand, for distributing anti-constitution flyers. CASE NARRATIVE: The Provincial […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) joins everyone who is shocked and dismayed by the senseless and brutal attack on civilians in Quetta, Balochistan on Aug 8, 2016. According to the leaders of the Balochistan Bar Association, the attack has killed 97 persons which includes 63 lawyers, and two journalists, the photographer of Dawn and […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been actively following the case of disappearance of human rights defender Ehsan Arjumandi, a dual national of Norway and Iran, who has been missing since August 2009. For the past seven years, after he was picked up by the Pakistani security agencies, the whereabouts of Mr. Ehsan are […]

By Nasurullah Baloch, Chairman, Voice of Baloch Missing Persons In 2010, a Commission was founded by the Pakistan Government to probe the missing persons’ cases and trace those still missing and unaccounted for. On 16 July 2016, this Commission presented its report to the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Then, the head of the body, (retired) […]

This week Just Asia begins with Indonesia, where the debate on the death sentence is heating up after executed Freddy Budiman’s message shocked the country. Before his July 29 execution, the drug kingpin broadcasted a message that he had cooperation from the police and the National Narcotic Board for smuggling drugs to Indonesia. Calls are […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely dismayed by President Joko Widodo’s decision to continue the execution of death row inmates. Prior to the July 29 executions, the AHRC issued an open letter urging the President to stop the third execution, to no avail. President Widodo’s administration has so far executed 19 death row inmates, most […]

The Pakistan government and its foreign minister were so happy when the Indonesian government stopped the execution of a Pakistani convict, Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah, at the last minute. Both the Pakistani government and the Foreign Ministry tried to take credit, as it was an outcome of their best attempts at diplomacy, having stopped the […]

Thailand acceded to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) on 2 October 2007. Nearly ten years later, on 26 May 2016, the Thai government issued a Cabinet Resolution stating that it will pass a Prevention of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act. However, the Asian Human Rights Commission […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding behavior of police officers of the Tanah Karo police resort (Polres Tanah Karo). They supported the Development Company that assaulted, arrested and shot the inhabitants of Lingga village. Police used live bullets and caused the death of one villager. As a law enforcement […]