Threats and intimidation

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Ambalantota police officers assaulted a minor and arbitrarily arrested and detained her and her sister in the custody on 1 September 2008. In the police station, the officers forced them to sign a document which was not explained and put their fingerprints to […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the illegal arrest and detention of a man in Kandy in May 2008 who was not produced before a court for four months. During detention the police tortured him to confess to being a terrorist. CASE DETAILS: (Based on the testimony of the victims […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that Mr. Akash, a human rights defender as well as journalist, has been facing unfair trial in an allegedly false extortion charge against him in Rajshahi. During the court proceedings the prosecutor was seen assisting to the alleged complainant providing information on what […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to bring to your attention a serious threat to the lawyers who practice their profession independently and particularly those who appear for victims of human rights abuses and in corruption cases in Sri Lanka by way of attacks, death threats and other forms of intimidation. On […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wants to inform you that a torture victim Ms. Sumitra Khawas, who had remained detained at the Area Police Office (APO) of Belbari, has been transferred to the Morang District Police Office (DPO). UPDATED INFORMATION: According to the information we have received from Advocacy Forum-Nepal, on 22 […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned over the safety of one woman torture victim named Ms. Sumitra Khawas. According to the information received from the Advocacy Forum, a prominent local human rights group in Nepal, the victim is still being detained at the Office (APO) of Belbari in Morang district, […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Gampaha police assaulted a person after hanging him from a roof beam in the police station. He was illegally arrested on suspicion of a theft and detained him for 5 days before being produced before a magistrate and released on bail. CASE […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police officers allegedly assaulted a man who intervened in another assault by the officers on 23 July 2008 in Sri Lanka. Those officers threatened him and attempted to stop him from getting his injuries treated at the hospital. CASE DETAILS: (Based on the testimony […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern that four human rights activists, all of whom are staff members of the Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights (KARAPATAN) in Cebu City, have been receiving threatening messages on their mobile phones. The message contains warning they will “suffer the consequence” if […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police in Sri Lanka have allegedly ill- treated and threatened a man with imposition of false charges  dating from April 2008.  Meanwhile, the man has lodged several complaints but up to now no investigation has been undertaken. CASE DETAILS: (Based on the testimony of […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that, a Pastor whom we reported in October 2006 to have been harassed by armed men, is once again being threatened with death. The threat to him was carried out in the following way.  After officiating at Sunday Mass, he was given an […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a Head Quarter’s Inspector allegedly assaulted a principal and a teacher on 7 July 2008. It is reported that the teachers were falsely charged and released on bail but have to report to the police station concerned in every Sunday. They were also […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Guria, a local human rights organisation working on women trafficking in Uttar Pradesh regarding the death threats on human rights defenders associated with Guria. Four unknown persons allegedly engaged in human trafficking in Varanasi threatened to kill the activists associated with Guria. The […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received from the Advocacy Forum yet another torture case allegedly committed by the Parbat district police officers on 15 July 2008. The victim was arrested due to a petty offence but was subjected to a brutal torture which caused multi-fractures in his left arm. He was […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Shanthigara Suresh Kumar, a teacher at the Trinity College of Kandy, was arbitrarily arrested and detained by the Kandy Police for 68 days. He was brutally tortured while in detention. The authorities have yet to take any action against the alleged perpetrators. […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is informed by MASUM, a local human rights organisation in West Bengal involving the Border Security Force (BSF) officers stationed in West Bengal. It is reported that the BSF officers who killed two persons in December 2007, are now threatening their family to keep them silent. Despite […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding a 19 year old school boy assaulted and frightened by death threats made by the Principal of his school Sri Dharmalankara Maha Vidyalaya, Galle on 23 April 2008. CASE DETAILS: (based on the testimony of Herath Mudalige Janith Thilanka) On 23 April 2008 Janith […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned by the constant, serious threats and attacks on women rights activists who have been working for justice for the deceased Ms. Laxmi Bohara, who had been allegedly killed by her husband on 6 June 2008. For details of the alleged killing of Laxmi, please […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the police allegedly ordered parents to pay a bribe of 150000 riels (US$37.5) each if their sons were not to be arrested after these youths had damaged a party sign in Soeung commune, Bor Keo district, Rattankiri province. On 2 July 2008, they arrested […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the case of H.M. Susantha Herath who was brutally tortured by the Gokarella police on 4 July 2005 (UA-146-2005). It is almost three years since the incident and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC) has finally made recommendations dated 26 […]