Right to life

A Statement from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) The Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) in collaboration with Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) and Amnesty International Thailand was planning to organize a presentation of report on the situation of human rights “Access to Justice in Thailand: Currently Unavailable […]

Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Palais des Nations CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland Dear Special Rapporteurs and Working Group Members, You will be aware of the significant threats to human rights which have followed the 22 […]

Courtesy to Daily Dawn The government, once again has refused to follow the orders of the Lahore High Court which directed police to register a First Information Report (FIR) which names amongst others, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Chief Minister of Punjab Mr. Shahbaz Sharif and 19 others including federal and provincial ministers and government […]

Statement on the Judicial Harassment of Leading Human Rights Defender, Ms. Pornpen Khongkachonkiet We, the undersigned civil society groups, are gravely concerned about the criminal legal action taken for defamation and libel against the Cross Cultural Foundation, headed by Ms. Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, by the Army’s Task Force 41. Ms. Pornpen, Director of the Cross Cultural […]

On 24 August 2014, Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, a long-time human rights defender and director of the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF), received a warrant summoning her to report to the Yala police station by 25 August 2014. She has postponed her reporting to the Yala police station until later in September. The warrant was in relation to […]

A Statement from the civil society in Sri Lanka forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission As Sri Lankan citizens and Sri Lankan civil society organizations, we are appalled by the recent arrests and deportation of asylum seekers from Sri Lanka. According to the UN, 108 Pakistanis have been deported as of 14th August[i] . According […]

In the 41st episode of Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup, AHRC TV brings news of the acquittal of Irom Sharmila. Also known as “the Iron Lady of Manipur”, Irom Sharmila, has been on hunger strike for 14 years in protest against the 50-year-old Armed Forces Special Powers Act in northeast India. The law gives security […]

Farmers from Ngetpyawtine village tract, Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Division, have been instructed by the Township Administrative Office to remove the houses they have built on their own farmland. The administration and the No. 2 Shwe Bo Logistic Battalion have warned the farmers that if they do not dismantle the houses and leave the land, they […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Forum for Protection of People’s Rights Nepal (PPR Nepal) that police officers from the Vacchek Police Station, Gorkha District, under the command of ASI Govinda Acharya, threatened villagers from Simjung Village Development Committee and demanded a bribe, failing to secure which the […]

The 40th episode of AHRC TV’s Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup is a special programme on land rights in India. An estimated 100 million Indians have been negatively affected by mega development projects since independence. Such projects have caused large-scale destruction of traditional forests and loss of fertile agricultural land. Indigenous and poor communities have […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Sipahi Kurmi, a 42-year-old resident of Bogadi Ward no. 4, Rupandehi District, had been illegally detained at the Area Police Station Majhgawa Rupandehi and was released only when he paid a bribe of NRs. 8,000 to Police Inspector Birendra Kumar Yadav. However […]

Members of the Insein Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have been threatening relatives of Ko Zin Aung, a local rickshaw driver tortured to death in July this year (AHRC-UAC-110-2014). Ko Moss and Ma Aye Aye Nwe, the brother-in-law and the cousin of the victim respectively, were called, 11th August 2014 to Myo Thit Quarter Administrative Office, […]

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you about the disappearance of a man and his son in Maguindanao. They were last seen by a witness at a military checkpoint. The military claim they had released the two after talking to them. However, they have not been located as yet.  CASE […]

At dawn today, Jovito Palparan Jr., a retired military general, wanted on charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention, was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), in Sta. Mesa, Metro Manila. Palparan is the principal accused in the abduction, illegal detention, torture and rape of Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno. Jovito Palparan Jr. […]

Eighteen days have passed since the tragic incident where the arms of a 10-year-old boy were severed from his body by a landlord and to-date, no positive developments have been taken nor has there been any progress in the case against the perpetrators of this horrific crime.  According to reports, doctors are being tight-lipped to […]

On the 4th of August, a meeting for the families of disappeared persons, held at the Centre for Society and Religion in Colombo, was disrupted by a mob of people led by several Buddhist monks. The families, who had travelled from Mannar, Mullaitivu, Killinochchi, Vavuniya, and Jaffna, had also visited the International Committee of the […]

During the three days of Eid holidays about three dozens people were drowned at the beaches of Karachi, the majority drowned at a beach run by Military, its commercial outlets and Clifton Cantonment, which are run directly under the Pakistan military. . Four persons drowned at two different beaches that were under the city government. […]

The fast-unto-death hunger strike of Nanda Prasad and Ganga Maya Adhikari, better known as the Adhikari couple, has reached 278 days and counting. Their only demand is an investigation and prosecution of those who killed their son, Krishna Prasad Adhikari. In other words, they demand justice. Krishna Prasad was abducted and brutally murdered in June […]

Today we are releasing the 37th episode of Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup. This week we are drawing attention to how various governments are restricting the work of NGOs. Through legislation and other means numerous governments are trying to reduce critical opinion, hampering human rights work across Asia. In Sri Lanka, NGOs are being advised not to […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to the Inspector General of Police We reproduce below a letter sent by the Executive Director of Asian Human Rights Commission to the IGP about two cases of torture by a team led by Sergeant Basnayake, who is an OIC in the Unresolved Crimes Division of the […]