Rule of law

(Hong Kong, October 14, 2011) This report is entitled the Alternative report to the committee against torture in connection with the third periodic report of Sri Lanka. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), Hong Kong, REDRESS Trust London, Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT), Denmark and Action des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la torture (ACAT France) […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the assault upon lawyer and activist Mr. Prashant Bhushan. The incident happened yesterday, October 12, 2011 in the lawyer’s chamber. The assailants claimed to belong to an allegedly fundamentalist group named Bhaghat Singh Kranti Sena. Soon after the incident however, another similarly fundamentalist group named Sri Ram Sene […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the International People’s Tribunal on Human Rights in Indian-Administered Kashmir (IPTK) and the students of Professor Angana Chatterji and Professor Richard Shapiro concerning acts of persecution by the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) against the two professors. It is alleged that the […]

Dear friends,  Mr. M H A Sameera Sandaruwa (28) of ‘Sameera Sevana’, Dumkola Watte, Daragala, Waimada in the Badulla District is single and is also a worker at Noratel Lanka Ltd in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in Katunaya. On 30 May 2011 Sameera participated in a trade union action organized by the factory workers. […]

Dear friends,  Mr. Maharambage Pradeep Kumara Priyadarshana (28) of Jambolagahamullahena, Dippitiya, Mahapallegama is single and works at Noratel Lanka Ltd in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in Katunaya. On 30 May 2011 Pradeep participated in a trade union action organized by the factory workers. Police officers attached to the Katunayake Police Station arrived at the […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is making an exceptionally Urgent Appeal following the assault on Dr. N J Nonis, the Registrar of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) by two unknown persons on 4 October 2011. As is customary in Sri Lanka the investigations was delayed and the police have now arrested […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) concerning two more cases of police violence from West Bengal. It is reported that in the two separate incidents of arrest, the police at the time of arrest, not only failed to comply the law and procedures, but […]

On the last day of the 3rd stage of the Local Government Election, two prominent politicians from United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) fought with each other at Mulleriyawa in Kolonnawa in Colombo District, according to reports. Former Member of Parliament and a presidential advisor on trade unions, Bharatha Lakshman Pramachandra, and three of his body […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) concerning yet another case of absolute savagery by the Border Security Force (BSF) from Murshidabad district, West Bengal. This time, the BSF is accused of having intentionally refused an ailing woman to be taken to the hospital to […]

The increase in the government’s tolerance of the actions of the militants and fundamentalists and the subsequent insecurity this causes has put the citizens in a state of wilderness and chaos. The failure of the state to provide security to its citizens and other fundamental rights such as: the right to practice the religion of […]

Dear friends,  Mr. Kamaranga Hannadige Lalith Susantha Peiris (32), No: 80, Tsunami Housing Scheme, Modara, Moratuwa in the Colombo District was arrested and extrajudicially killed by police officers attached to the Moratuwa Headquarters Police Station. Several hours before the killing a police constable attached to the Police Guard Point, Modara in Moratuwa Police Division was […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is making an exceptional Urgent Appeal after observing the increased numbers of systematic extrajudicial killings of beggars in Sri Lankan cities over the past few months. According to information that the AHRC has received, a beggar was clubbed to death by unidentified assailants with a sharp weapon […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information from sources in Burma about an alleged assault by a police officer resulting in the death of a young man. According to the information so far received, Ko Naing Win died of head injuries near his house in Thongwa, Rangoon Division at around 3am on 4 October […]

Dear friends,  On 25 September body of Ms. Srini Wasana Amaratunga was found at the Elakanda, Wattala in the Gampaha District. Srini had been missing since the morning of the 24th and her relatives made a complaint to the Negombo police. As is customary, the police took no action until her body was found a […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learnt that a woman victim of police abuse committed suicide in Jemoumapara village, Murshidabad district, West Bengal, India. Ms Mithu Dey was abused and assaulted in the presence of several villagers by personnel of the Kandi Police Station. The police raided her house on 3 August […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is disturbed to learn that India’s National Human Rights Commission has deemed on 15 September 2011 a case of custodial death to be closed by the payment of compensation to the victim’s family, despite no criminal action taken against the perpetrators. Kalu Mondal was brought to the […]

Dear friends,  Mr. Ganearachchi Appuhamilage Gayan Saranga (29) of Katulanda, Dekatana, Dompe in the Gampaha District was arrested and extrajudicially killed by the police officers attached to the Dompe Police Station on 29 September 2011. Saranga was first arrested at his wife’s home and the police informed his relatives they needed to record a statement […]

Dear friends,  Mr. Roshan Chanaka Rathnasekara (22) of Gal-Oluwa, Minuwangoda in the district of Gampaha, succumbed to his injuries on 1 June 2011 as a result of gunshot injuries received in the indiscriminate shooting by the police officers attached to the Negombo and Seeduwa Police Stations. The Sri Lanka police opened fire at the workers […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that human rights defender Mr. Perumal Sivakumara (32) of Kalpitiya Road, Norochchole in the Puttalam District has died after being tortured in public by officers attached to the Special Task Force of the Sri Lanka Police. Perumal a well-known civil rights activist had gone […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Ms. PAD Ariyawathi Saman Kumari (54) of No: 133, Thummodara Colony, Naththandiya in the Puttalam District has made a complaint about her son, a soldier who was attached to the Special Forces of the Sri Lanka Army being tortured and killed on 9 […]