Threats and intimidation

PAKISTAN: Appeal to stop the victimization of teaching staff of the Urdu University

The academic activities of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology (FUUAST), where 13,000 students are enrolled, are severely affected by the defunct vice chancellor and suspended registrar who have filed cases against 14 teaching staff. Besides cases, the suspended registrar has issued, on three different occasions, the show cause notices to chairman […]

BURMA/MYANMAR: Villagers still without remedy for police attack on protestors

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that no redress has yet been provided for farmers from central Burma that were attacked violently by the police during peaceful protest. Without any warrant or court order, the police used guns on the protesters. Farmers lodged a case against the police but […]

NEPAL: Pregnant woman beaten for marrying Dalit, in-laws threatened

Dear Friends, The Jagaran Media Center (JMC) has informed the Asian Human Rights Commission that a pregnant 21-year-old woman, Rajani Thapa Magar, who married Lal Bahadur Bishwokarma, a Dalit man, has been beaten by her family. The woman’s family belongs to the Magar ethnic community. The police have apprehended five members of Rajani’s family. However, […]

NEPAL: Torture victim threatened by Army Officer

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding continuing threats to torture victim Padam Bahadur Khadka, who was 14 years old at the time of the original incident. On 2 October 2011, Mr. Man Bahadur Khadka, a Lance Corporal in the Nepal Army, allegedly tortured Padam, suspecting Padam of killing a […]

NEPAL: Turning into a Police State

Statement | Nepal | 09-12-2014

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on Human Rights Day 2014 The second Constituent Assembly election, which was held on 19 November 2013, changed the political situation of Nepal. The Maoists, which got the highest number of votes in the first Constituent Assembly elections, clocked in third this time. The Nepali Congress (NC) […]

HONG KONG: The Umbrella Movement and Democracy in Hong Kong

by Jack Clancey During this past week, Central was occupied by thousands of demonstrators, as was Admiralty, Wanchai, Causeway Bay, and other parts of Hong Kong. The key question being asked is: What needs to be done to end the demonstrations? One of the two key demands of the leaders of the Occupy Central movement […]

THAILAND: End judicial harassment of human rights defenders

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the judicial harassment of Pornpen Khongkachonkiet and Somchai Homlaor, long-standing and prominent human rights defenders and director and chairperson, respectively, of the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) in Thailand, is ongoing. They have been accused of defaming the army and face potential legal prosecution for […]

PAKISTAN: 04 journalists and 05 support staff shot dead, 38 injured and 06 others received death threats during this year

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received shocking reports of journalists having to face the worst ordeals possible, during the course of the year 2014. Four journalists and five of their supporting staff have been killed by “un-known” persons and more than 38 journalists were attacked and injured by the police and mostly by those […]

PHILIPPINES: Restore land and livelihood rights of families in Laiya

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information from the Defend Job  Philippines about the forced demolition of roughly 277 houses in Sitio Balacabacan, Laiya, Batangas, Philippines. The demolitions were carried out on 3 July 2014. The AHRC has also learnt that the authorities are intimidating the community which is now living in […]

PAKISTAN: Children of Baloch asylum seekers targeted for enforced disappearances

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 […]

PHILIPPINES: Police burn houses after forcibly evicting community in Las Pinas

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Defend Job Philippines about the forced eviction of a community from Factor Compound in Las Pinas city. The police also fired in the air to intimidate the community. CASE NARRATIVE: On the morning of 19 August 2014, more than 120 members of the […]

NEPAL: Police torture two juveniles to extract confession

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that 17-year-old Bijay Khadka and 16-year-old Govinda Malla, residents of Sonashree VDC 05 and 06 respectively, were arrested for theft by the police. The two were then tortured by various physical means. They have complained of being forced to confess to the crime and […]

NEPAL: Couple missing and entire family forcefully displaced following an inter-caste marriage

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a couple are missing and their family members have been forcibly displaced after an inter-caste marriage since 27thJuly 2014. This incident had taken place in Labani, Village Development Committee-5, Kapilvastu in Nepal where Binaya Kumar Harijan, 21 years old belonging to the Dalit […]

THAILAND: Judicial harassment of human rights defender

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 […]

NEPAL: Drunken police demand bribe and shoot Tamang dead

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 […]

NEPAL: Policeman that used illegal detention to extort bribes now seeks revenge

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 […]

PHILIPPINES: Indigenous community deprived of food by the military

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern. A community of Aeta, a northern indigenous tribe, is being oppressed by military and paramilitary forces, depriving them of food. They are prohibited from hunting wild birds and animals. Food bought in the market is confiscated. CASE DETAILS: (Based on the documentation by the […]

NEPAL: Dalit policeman gets torture, not justice

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Terai Human Rights Defenders Alliance (THRD Alliance) regarding an incident of police torture on 31 July 2014. Following, a verbal spat, which turned violent, Mahabir Bishwokarma was detained and tortured by the police till he fell unconscious at the Gadda Chauki Police […]

PAKISTAN: Military and its housing authority responsible for drowning of dozens

During the three days of Eid holidays about three dozens people were drowned at the beaches of Karachi, the majority drowned at a beach run by Military, its commercial outlets and Clifton Cantonment, which are run directly under the Pakistan military. . Four persons drowned at two different beaches that were under the city government. […]

SRI LANKA: Relevance of Freedom of Association in 1992 and today; Ratawawi Peramuna and its players

by  Lakshan Dias Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), are the popular punching bag of the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL), when its actions are challenged by any individual and/or organization. Name-calling, brandishing circulars to warn NGOs and now a draconian law to prevent them from raising public issues has been the modus operandi of the regime to […]