Rule of law

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the bodies of a lawyer and his cousin from Balochistan province have been found. Both bodies bore marks of severe torture. They had been allegedly arrested by the Frontier Corp (FC), a paramilitary force of Pakistan. Another lawyer and four other persons were […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Sri Lankan Navy arrested a civilian and later handed him over to officers of the Maravila Police Station. They in turn handed over the victim to officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Later the CID officers tortured the victim and denied […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man who was severely tortured later succumbed to his injuries. He was arrested by police officers attached to the Kirindiwela Police Station who later fabricated the story that the deceased had fallen out of a police vehicle. However, several villagers witnessed the […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 15, 2010 AHRC-OLT-010-2010 An Open Letter to Faith Suzzette delos Reyes-Kong, senior legal officer of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR 9) by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Ms. Faith Suzzette delos Reyes-Kong Senior Legal Officer Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHR 9) 2nd Floor, Philippine Veterans Bank […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the custodial death of Mr. Mizanur Rahman, who was extrajudicially killed by the Gulshan Police in Dhaka after having been kept in arbitrary detention for two days (For further details, please see our original appeal here: AHRC-UAC-107-2010). The AHRC has received the statement […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man was severely tortured before being illegally arrested and detained by officers of the Welippena Police Station. Following the torture the officers displayed the man in public before the villagers before taking him to the station where they later filed fabricated charges […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that man was abducted by a group of unknown persons in Dadalla, Galle. The relatives of the victim believe the abduction is due to a land dispute that they had with a high profile businessman. While the relatives have made several complaints to the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Azad Kashmir region of Pakistan, that Mr. Asim Zakir, a young man who was previously arrested by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), an intelligence agency of the Pakistani armed forces, was extrajudicially killed when his jeep was destroyed in an explosion. In […]

Today, the 9th September, Sri Lankans woke up to a country which has changed politically in its character and in its legal system. With the passing of the 18th Amendment Sri Lanka has abandoned liberal democracy completely and all the debates that the country has had so far will now change in a most significant […]

Today in an emailed letter I received from a friend there was this sentence: “Sometimes, I feel that when institutions die, it’s even worse than people dying.” This is a profound reflection. I showed it to several of my colleagues from different countries, Burma, Pakistan and Bangladesh. They all nodded, agreeing. I am sure if […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the shameful act allegedly by the officials of notorious intelligence agencies and the Elite Force, a law enforcement agency of Punjab government. Mr. Umer Cheema, a senior journalist from the newspaper, daily The News International, was abducted, tortured severely and kept in incommunicado […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police officers attached to the Ganemulla Police Station have illegally arrested, detained and tortured a civilian. Later the police filed fabricated charges against him. After the victim sought justice by filling a fundamental rights application he was further threaten.  CASE NARRATIVE:  Balapu Waduge […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that an estate labourer was illegally arrested by police officers attached to the Pussellawa Police Station and arbitrarily detained and tortured. Later, the police produced him before the Magistrate at Hellbodde Circuit Court on fabricated charges of possession of materials used for to produce […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police officers attached to the Panwila Police Station have illegally arrested, detained and tortured an innocent civilian. He was later released on police bail without being produced before a Magistrate.  CASE NARRATIVE:  Mr. Jesu Andrew (28) of Holankanda, Mudulkelle in the district of […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 17 year old school going child was illegally arrested by the police officers attached to the Anamaduwa Police Station, arbitrarily detained and tortured. Later, the police produced the child before the Magistrate of Puttalam with fabricated charges and remanded. When he was […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a German philanthropist staying in Sri Lanka has been illegally arrested and detained by the officers attached to the Special Task Force (STF) of the Sri Lanka police on 17th August, 2010 at Siyambalanduwa. He was travelling with his son and his companions […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding rape and abuse of a 16 year-old domestic worker in Kathmandu on 18 July 2010 by her employers. Instead of rescuing the victim, police officers from Budha police station have reportedly kept her in detention twice for 24 hours without providing her with […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Pakistan Embassy in Bern, Switzerland, has refused the renewal of passports to a Pakistani family allegedly on the instructions of intelligence officials of Pakistan. One official from the embassy privately told the family that intelligence agencies have objections on granting the renewal […]

In July of this year a web newspaper, the Sri Lanka Guardian reported an alleged case of sexual abuse by an appeal court judge. Last weekend, Lakbima reported that the CID has submitted its report of inquiries into the incident and that the investigation found adequate evidence against the judge. The CID has submitted the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a Muslim group attacked on a Hindu community that had been living there for a century during the early hours on 23 August 2010 in order to grab the land occupied by the Hindu community in Sindh Province of Pakistan. The Hindu community, […]