Police violence

Dear friends, On 1 August 2005, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) released an urgent appeal (UA-130-2005) detailing the case of Subhas Mondal. The AHRC has now received new information from MASUM, a human rights organisation in West Bengal regarding the release of perpetrators after details of a counterfeit First Information Report (FIR) were submitted […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has come to learn of a threat made against the tenant of the late Gerald Perara. Owing to the seriousness of the threat and given the person who made it, the victim lives in fear for his and his family’s life. Mr. Nimal is the neighbour of […]

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 […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has come to learn of a case involving the Homagama police. After stopping a citizen and finding a knife in his possession, Police Sergeant (PS) Sunil from the Homagama police immediately assaulted the man and took him into custody. Despite the man explaining that the knife was […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has come to learn of a case of suicide following an arrest by the Charau Market Police. MASUM, a partner of the AHRC in India has informed us that Mr. Sudeb Pal was found hanging from a tree near the Lake Gardens flyover soon after his release […]

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 regarding the refusal of the Dodangoda police to register a complaint. On 24 May 2006, L Sarath Vijitha was assaulted by an anti-narcotics squad for the sole reason he knocked their van. Accordingly he requested to lodge a complaint but allegedly, the police refused […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the Chhatak police in Sunamganj district neglected to act on a complaint of a man’s disappearance, which may have resulted in the killing of the disappeared man. When the police were informed of the disappearance they refused to lodge a complaint regarding it, […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has been informed that police assaulted a number of political activists and other demonstrators during a nationwide dawn-to-dusk strike and demonstration programme called by the 14 political opposition party alliance on 20 April 2006. Reports indicate that the police tortured some of the political activists, including women on […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned of a case in Sri Lanka involving a policeman and a home guard arriving at the home of a family in an inebriated state. They then accused the family of theft and proceeded to search for the alleged stolen goods. However, the family explained that […]

  Dear friends, On 31 March 2006, at around 11am, Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Jayampath and a constable visited Mr. Wijewardena’s boutique and queried his identity. When he told them, they asked him where his three-wheeler was to which he replied, “at home”. The police said they wanted to see the vehicle, and on taking him home […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) welcomes the move by the Indian government to draft a new Police Act, thus replacing the old act of 1861. The committee constituted for this purpose in September 2005 was given six months to produce a draft bill. The official term of the committee expired on January 31, 2006. […]

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 […]

 first seriously injuring two of the family members, leaving permanent injuries on one and thereafter fabricating charges against the victims themselves by filing a case, 73456 MC, at the Teldeniya. Magistrate’s Court: the cases of Rohitha Upali Liyanage and Sarath Bandara Ekanayake As the Deputy Inspector General of Police in Kandy you are completely aware […]

I am writing to you to express our concern about the information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) that a group of private stage carriage operators in Thrissur district has formed an association named “Kanjani Theeradesa Meghala Bus Operators Union” and are engaged in collecting money from their members to pay off police […]

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 […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from its local partner, Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (Masum), regarding the death of 25-year-old Ms. Tulsi Das, who was killed instantly when she was shot in the face by police on 12 April 2006. The Sub-Inspector of Police from Salar police station, Murshidabad district, West […]

On April 12 an unusual story appeared in Burma’s state-run daily newspapers. It said that a man identified as Wai Phyo Naung killed himself in a police lock up in Mandalay after being arrested for loitering in the early morning of March 25. According to the report, he had twisted his sarong into a rope […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that at least 16 journalists were injured due to police brutality at the Bir Sreshtha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong on 16 April 2006. The police beat the on-duty journalists with guns, sticks, boots and fists. The perpetrators also damaged and confiscated the […]