Torture

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding a torture death conducted by police officers in the North Central Timor regency (TTU), East Nusa Tenggara province. Mr. Marianus Oki was illegally arrested, detained and tortured to death in police custody. An investigation has been conducted with no significant progress. Marinus was […]

On June 20, the delegation of ALRC submitted a 160-page report on enforced disappearances and extra judicial killings in Pakistan, citing the cases and also the updated list of disappeared persons. The delegation of WGEID, led by Ms. Gabriela Guzman, secretary of WGEID and Human Rights Officer, Protection, Religion, Accountability & Human Security Session, expressed […]

A Press Release from International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) On the 20 June 2016, Chaudhry Khaliq Ahmad, son of Chaudhry Bashir Ahmad, was shot and killed in a religiously motivated attack in Karachi, carried out by unknown assailants. According to the information we have so far, the […]

We are sharing with you a Tamil translaton of an Article published by the Asian Human Rights Commission, in Commemoraiton of the International Day in Support of Torture Victims, where the “… Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC SL) marked the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture in a rather unusual and impressive way. […]

Basil Fernando The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC SL) marked the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture in a rather unusual and impressive way. It organized a demonstration with participants carrying placards that said, “Stop Torture”. The president of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, was among the demonstrators. There were also other […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 10-year-old girl has been tortured on the instructions of her teacher at Anula Devi Girls’ College in Galle District, Sri Lanka. The teacher ordered the class to beat the 10-year old girl on the head, considering it a minor crime; 44 students […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Niroshan Chamara Rupasinghe of the Kandy District was tortured by two traffic police officers attached to the Katugastota Police Station on 13th November 2015. Later he was treated at the Kandy Teaching Hospital. Police have filed fabricated charges against the victim alleging […]

Nepal has been a party to the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT) since 1991. Since then however, the government has failed to bring about any comprehensive anti-torture legislation in line with the Convention. Nepal’s Torture Compensation Act (TCA) of 1996 only provides compensation to victims if police officers are found guilty of practicing torture, with […]

This week’s episode of Just Asia focuses on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. June 26 is marked around the world to speak out against the heinous crime of torture and to stand in support of torture victims and survivors. Torture is absolutely prohibited under international law and is binding on all […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Velauthapilai Renugaruban, a British citizen who was visiting his relatives in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, has been illegally arrested, detained, and severely tortured by Sri Lankan police officials. He is being accused of aiding and abetting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) […]

To state that torture is endemic and rampant in Pakistan would be an understatement; torture has in fact become a lifestyle, a norm that is the beginning and end of judicial process in Pakistan. Thousands suffer torture everyday, yet they dare not report their ordeal. The law enforcement agencies that are responsible for this torture […]

Beginning with Thailand this week, Just Asia covers three human rights defenders who have been accused of criminal defamation and violation of the Computer Crime Act for publishing a report detailing 54 cases of torture by the Thai Army in the country’s southern provinces. The three defenders, Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, Director of the Cross Cultural Foundation […]

After monitoring 20 months of the human rights situation in Papua and West Papua provinces under President Joko Widodo’s administration, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is dismayed at the utter lack of progress in the protection and realization of people’s rights. Since President Widodo’s inauguration on 20 October 2014, there were considerable expectations for […]

By Basil Fernando I do not know Poddala Jayantha personally. However, I have felt for several years and still strongly feel that I as a human being, and we as Sri Lankans, owe a serious obligation to him. I remember the first day I heard about the cruel way he was dealt with some 7 […]

Opening Statement by Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, made at the Human Rights Council 32nd Session on 13th June 2016 forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Distinguished President of the Council, Excellencies Colleagues and friends When the Inter-American Commission announces it has to cut its personnel by forty […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) and Protection International Thailand (PI) regarding military harassment of human rights defenders in Thailand. On 17 May 2016, the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 sought power of attorney from the Royal Thai Army and submitted a complaint […]

This week Just Asia begins with the attack on a peaceful public protest in North Sulawesi, Indonesia on June 1, calling for professionalism by parliamentarians, and the prosecution of those involved in illegal drugs. While waiting to have a dialogue with some parliamentarians at the Manodo parliament office, the student protesters were suddenly attacked by […]

See the YouTube Video relating to this article. Journalist, Poddala Jayantha in a moving article, written in Sinhala, recalls his ordeal which took place exactly 7 years ago in the evening of June 1st that shocked the entire nation. A threat which has been made to him by the brother of the then President Mahinda […]

Those charting the history of conflict in South Asia with particular reference to violence against children may be interested in this recently released book edited by an Australian National University (ANU) Senior Fellow, Bina D’ Costa and published by the Cambridge University Press. This volume is based on the premise that children’s diverse experiences during […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about police brutality provided by the Indonesian Student Christian Movement (GMKI) Manado branch office, North Sulawesi Province. Police officers supported by the civil service police unit (Satpol PP) and staff employees of the local parliament (DPRD) attacked the protesters. Rather than accommodate the protesters’ […]