Rule of law

NEPAL: Mass withdrawal of cases violates Nepal’s international human rights obligations and promotes impunity

Statement | Nepal | 24-05-2011

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned by the Home Minister’s statement on Friday that his office is planning to withdraw cases filed against Maoist cadres from the time of the conflict. According to news report, the cases filed at the district level likely to be withdrawn may amount to 300 and may […]

NEPAL: Killing of a young man in an alleged encounter by police must be investigated

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the killing of Sahid Ullah Dewan, alias Adbul, by three policemen from Police Post, Bethary, Rupandehi District. Abdul was shot in broad daylight on 26 October 2009 in Rupandehi District. The police claim that the victim was killed in an encounter and that […]

SRI LANKA: Another man is severely assaulted by the Inginiyagala Police

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. D M Upali Dissanayaka (43) of No: 7/B, Ambagahawella, Paragahakelle, Ampara was illegally arrested and severely tortured by the police officers attached to the Inginiyagala Police Station on 4 April 2011. A team of policemen went to the village of Upali and […]

BANGLADESH: Police and parliamentarians protect offenders endangering the life of a journalist in Narayanganj

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the police and parliamentarians protect the criminals that attempted to murder Mr. Billal Hossain Robin, a journalist based in Narayanganj district. The police primarily refused to register a complaint and then deliberately delayed the process of registering the complaint after the attack on […]

SRI LANKA: Journalist arrested and severely tortured by Panadura Police

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Niroshan Premaratne, a professional journalist attached to the Independent Television Network (ITN) of Wickremasinghe Pura, Battaramulla, Colombo was illegally arrested and severely tortured by police officers attached to the Panadura Police Station on 8 May 2011. While Niroshan was driving with his […]

BANGLADESH: Police inaction narrows the path of justice for wounded human rights defender, who needs constant supports for survival

Dear All,  The Asian Human Rights Commission has earlier informed you about the attack on FMA Razzak instantiated by army officer, Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul and his family, who attempted to gouge out Razzak’s eyes. The right leg and hand were broken with several bones suffered fractures. The police have not yet started a credible […]

NEPAL: Police keep incommunicado and torture a young man by water pouring and using chili powder in Banke

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the alleged of torture of Atiram Rana by a group of policemen from District Police Office, Banke on 12 April 2011. The policemen, as many as twelve of them, used chili powder and inflicted water boarding on the victim. The victim was kept […]

SRI LANKA: Another man is severely assaulted by the Inginiyagala Police

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. P W Cyril Sarath Kumara (26) of No: 6 B/59 A, Ambagahawella, Paragahakelle, Ampara was illegally arrested and severely tortured by the police officers attached to the Inginiyagala Police Station on 4 April 2011. A team of policemen went to the village […]

PAKISTAN: Petition to President Zadarai urging the arrest of killers of fisherfolk activists

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following open letter from the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) to President of Pakistan. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ——- An Open Letter from the Pakistan Fisherfolk forum (PFF) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Mr. Asif Ali Zardari […]

PAKISTAN: Military threatens food security of farmers by illegal land grabbing in Punjab

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the food security of peasants in the Punjab has been threatened by illegal land grabbing by the military for decades. The peasants have been cultivating the land from their forefathers who were asked to settle and cultivate the land in 1913. However, the military-run […]

SRI LANKA: A man is severely assaulted by the Inginiyagala Police

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Disanayaka Mudiyanselage Nandasena (29) of No: 1 B/107, Namal Oya, Ampara was illegally arrested and severely tortured by the police officers attached to the Inginiyagala Police Station on 4 April 2011. A team of policemen went to the village of Nandasena and […]

PAKISTAN: Five more disappeared persons bullet riddled bodies are found in Balochistan

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the bodies of five disappeared persons have been found in different areas of Balochistan. The bodies bore bullet wounds, drill marks and other signs of torture. The victims were abducted from Balochistan province and Karachi, Sindh province at different times and their bodies […]

SRI LANKA: Public servant fights against corruption, inhuman assault and suspension

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Property Bailiff officer Mr. Nelson Hettiarachchi attached to the Negombo Municipal Council has been suspended illegally by the Municipal authorities. He was formally attached to the Sub Office of Thalahena. He had executed his duties with due diligence and with high discipline. […]

SRI LANKA: An innocent man was illegally arrested, detained and severely tortured by the CID

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. W.A. Lasantha Pradeep Wijeratna (36) of No. 98, Galahitiyawa, Ganemulla in the district of Gampaha was illegally arrested and severely tortured by the police officers attached to the Criminal Investigation Department on 15 August 2010. Lasantha was initially arrested by group of […]

BANGLADESH: Australian academics voice concern for Razzak

(Hong Kong, May 11, 2011) Staff and graduate students of the Australian National University on Wednesday submitted a letter to the diplomatic mission of Bangladesh in Canberra voicing their concern over the eye-gouging attack on Bangladeshi human rights defender Abdur Razzak.  Representatives of the Asia Rights group at the ANU met with the first secretary […]

BANGLADESH: An Open Letter to the Chairperson of the NHRC, Prof Mizanur Rahman requesting that he visit FMA Razzak in hospital and take appropriate action to ensure justice

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to Prof. Mizanur Rahman, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh Prof. Mizanur Rahman Chairman National Human Rights Commission 10th Floor, Gulfeshan Plaza 8, Journalist Selina Parvin Road Mogbazar, Dhaka BANGLADESH Fax: +88 02 8333219 Dear Professor Rahman, BANGLADESH: An Open Letter to the Chairperson of […]

BANGLADESH: Petition to the Consulate General of Bangladesh in Hong Kong on the serious attack and attempted blinding of human rights defender and journalist Mr. FMA Razzak in Bangladesh

(Hong Kong, May 9, 2011) On 9 May 2011, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Asia Monitor Resource Centre, Asia Pacific Students and Youth Association, Hong Kong Journalists Association, Interfaith Cooperation Forum, Unison – Hong Kong, World Student Christian Federation jointly made a petition to the Consulate General of Bangladesh in Hong Kong to express […]

WORLD: Member of Parliament demands arrest of all suspects — Perpetrators begin attacks on witnesses

(Hong Kong, May 7, 2011) At a meeting held today, 7 May, at a local cooperative society’s meeting room in Paikgachha, Mr. Sohrab Ali Sana, Member of Parliament for the Paikgachha-Koyra (Khulna-6) constituency, demanded the arrest of all suspects relating to the attack on FMA Razzak and his brother, which took place on 29 April. […]

PAKISTAN: Call for immediate arrest of the murderers of two activist fishermen and stop the land grabbing

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding two human rights leaders murdered on May 5 by notorious land mafia from the ruling party, Pakistan Peoples’ Party. The land mafia has been occupying the forest land threatening the right to life and food security of 350 families living in the […]

BANGLADESH/PHILIPPINES: Why Filipinos must protest the attack on FMA Razzak?

Bangladeshi national FMA Razzak is the President of the Human Rights Development Centre (HRDC) and Editor of the Pakkhik Gonomichhil in Paikgachha of Khulna district, Bangladesh. On April 29, 2011, Razzak and his younger brother, Mr. Bodiuzzaman Bodiar; brother-in-law, Mr. Bakkar, were attacked after having been kidnapped by the relatives of an army major, Mustafizur […]