Right to life

In this week’s episode of the Weekly Roundup , AHRC TV covers the tragic news of the death of Nanda Prasad Adhikari, following a 333-day hunger strike in Nepal. His wife, Ganga Maya, continues her fast, protesting against the Nepal government’s inability to investigate, prosecute, and punish her son’s killers. To learn more about this […]

According to information provided by Protection International to the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), human rights defenders and other members of the Klong Sai Pattana community in Surat Thani province have been intimidated and threatened with eviction from their homes and villages. The Asian Human Rights Commission is concerned that the in the general atmosphere […]

In this week’s episode of the Weekly Roundup, AHRC TV is pleased to announce that Basil Fernando, the Asian Human Rights Commission’s Director for Policy and Programme Development, will be awarded the Right Livelihood Award, which is also known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize”, “for his outstanding work to support and document the implementation of […]

by Bushra Khaliq The 2014 floods in Pakistan is the fifth in series of floods since 1973, 1988, 1992 and 2010. This time the late monsoon rains [in the early part of] September unleashed terrific floods in Central Punjab. Swollen rivers, particularly the Chenab breached floodwalls, sweeping away thousands of villages and the Government despite […]

A group of researchers associated with the Sydney University in Australia claim that they have found a more effective way than what has been tried so far, to prevent torture. The more effective way, as claimed, is to engage with the torturers themselves; which means to engage with officers of the security establishments. Quite an […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that security agencies have started targeting the family members of Baloch refugees who have fled to western countries. Reports state that family members including children of these refugees have been arrested by plain clothed persons and have been abducted in unmarked vehicles. Their whereabouts […]

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. […]