Rule of law

SRI LANKA: Innocent man tortured to reveal identity of cattle thieves and as a result of complaining to the Human Rights Commission

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Marasingha Arachchige Maithree Narada (27) of No. 30/49,Wijaya Samarugama, Demanhandiya in the district of Gampaha was illegally arrested and severely tortured by the police officers attached to the Negombo Police Station on 27 February 2011. Narada was first tortured while he was […]

BANGLADESH: State agents allow army officer’s relatives to rob off the house of a human rights defender

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) informed you on 4 March 2011 regarding death threat to the family of F. M. A. Razzak, a human rights defender by the relatives of an officer the Bangladesh Army (For further details, please see our latest Urgent Appeal Update: AHRC-UAU-013-2011).  Now, the AHRC has received updated information […]

PAKISTAN: Four activists protesting the disappearance of their leader also disappeared after their abduction by the law enforcement agencies

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that four activists of a nationalist political group were abducted from a crowded part of Karachi city by the police and plain clothed persons in police and military jeeps when they were ending their six day hunger strike in protest against the second disappearance […]

PAKISTAN: Journalists have been deprived of minimum wage for 15 years due to court delays

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that working journalists and newspapers employees of Pakistan have been denied an increase in minimum wages since 1996. Due to the ongoing litigation in the higher courts the owners of the media houses are enjoying the benefits of the delay in justice. The 7th […]

SRI LANKA: Police tortured an innocent man with chili in his eyes and nostrils after illegal arrest

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Chaminda Sampath Wickrama Pathirana of Walgama, Bandaragama in the district of Kaluthara was illegally arrested and severely tortured by police officers attached to the Badaragama Police Station on 20 May 2009. At the time of arrest, when he was severely tortured or […]

SRI LANKA: A man was brutally tortured by Anamaduwa Police on mistaken identity

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Koronchige Nihal De Silva (28) of ‘Ashoka Niwasa’, Parawakandagama, Anamaduwa in Puttalam district was illegally arrested and severely tortured by police officers attached to the Anamaduwa Police Station on 2 January 2011. He was hung on the beam and beaten with poles […]

INDIA: Human rights defender murdered for challenging corruption

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the murder of human rights activist Mr. Niyamat Ansari in Kope Gram Panchayat of Latehar District, Jharkhand state, on 2 March, as well as a similar attempt on the same day upon the life of his associate Mr. Bhukhan Singh. It is reported […]

THAILAND: Thailand needs to move beyond its human rights rhetoric

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following article from the Prachatai website, written by Mr. Pokpong Lawansiri. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- An article from the Prachatai website forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission By Pokpong Lawansiri Released on Sun, 06/03/2011 – 13:12 | by prachatai On 28th February […]

SRI LANKA: Police brutally torture a man in revenge for complaining to the human rights commission

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Alahendra Acharige Dinesh Priyankara of Panadura North Police Division in Kaluthara district was illegally arrested and severely tortured by police officers attached to the Panadura North Police Station on 23 January 2011. Later he was brought to the station and questioned about […]

PAKISTAN: A 16 year old girl was gang raped almost for one month — perpetrators were released by the police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 16 year old girl was abducted along with her brother by the persons from the land mafia for ransom. During the ordeal the girl was gang raped for almost one month. After the intervention of a session court the police filed the […]

BANGLADESH: Allegation of molesting a subordinate female staff by a male judge requires credible investigation

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned of the allegation of molestation of a female fourth class employee by a Judge while cleaning his official chamber on 23 February 2011. The alleged Judge, who has been identified as Mr. Mohammad Yasin, has allegedly influenced the high-ranking bureaucrats targeting the complainant’s job. The […]

PAKISTAN: No law or code of conduct against the torture that terms it as illegal practice

Malik Ayub Sumbal, Islamabad The notorious Pakistani police torture and violence towards innocent people is not a concealed aspect of the country’s history and the media, civil society activists and human rights organization time and again unveiled the brutal face of these beasts in the police uniform. The Pakistani police is among the most corrupt […]

BANGLADESH: Army officer’s father threatens to destroy home and establishments of a human rights defender’s family

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding death threat to the family of F. M. A. Razzak, a human rights defender, and his well-wishers from the relatives of an officer the Bangladesh Army regarding an illegitimate claim of ownership of a land, which had already been settled by the concerned […]

PAKISTAN: Five more disappeared persons are extrajudicially killed 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 and marks of torture. Five victims were abducted from Balochistan province and Karachi, Sindh province at different times but their bodies were found in […]

PHILIPPINES: An Indian human rights lawyer talks about misconception on the role of lawyers

(Hong Kong, February 28, 2011) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is publishing this podcast interview with Mr. Bijo Francis, a human rights lawyer from India and programme officer of the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), regarding his comments and opinion on the trial of the Maguindanao Massacre case.  Bijo has handled numerous human rights […]

NEPAL: Police refuse to file a case of torture, protect the perpetrators

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the police’s refusal to register the complaint of Ang Dorje and Jangbu Sherpa who were beaten and illegally arrested by police officers from Metropolitan Police Circle, Maharjgunj, Kathmandu after they refused to pay a bribe on 9 February 2011. Their complaint was […]

SRI LANKA: Disappearance of FORUM-ASIA Executive Committee Member Pattani Razeek – prime suspect has not been arrested

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that Mr. Pattani Razeek a well known human rights defender both locally and internationally has been missing since 11 February 2010. The relatives have made complaints to all the relevant authorities including the United Nations. They have provided enough credible evidence to identify […]

PAKISTAN: Two more disappeared persons are extrajudicially killed in Balochistan to destroy evidence of abduction by law enforcement agencies

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the bodies of two disappeared persons have been found in a remote area. The bodies bore bullet wounds and marks of torture. Both victims were abducted from Karachi, Sindh province at different times but their bodies were found together 500 kilometers near the […]

BANGLADESH: Police enjoy impunity for torturing a journalist

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has documented another case of severe torture, this time involving a senior journalist, Mr. Gias Ahmed (43), who works as Joint News Editor of a private television channel-Desh TV. Gias Ahmed was asked to get out of his private car in the afternoon on 14 February 2011 […]

SRI LANKA: Innocent man illegally arrested and tortured by Panadura Police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Sugath Chandima (29) of Hirana, Panadura in the district of Kalutara was illegally arrested and severely tortured by the police officers attached to the Panadura Police Station on 17 February 2011. Sugath was brought to the police station by his employer and […]