Torture

Last week a shocking story was revealed in the media. On August 21 2013 P. Chandana Thushara Peiris, (32), the father of one child was arrested by the Moratuwa police and severely tortured to force him to confess to having possessed bombs and having committed several other crimes. When the family learned about the arrest […]

Today, 30 August 2013, is the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearance. According to the UN Resolution A/RES/65/209 adopted in the Sixty-fifth Session of the General Assembly, the 30th day of August has been declared, and has been so observed since 2011, as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance every year. This Resolution […]

“Aquino’s penchant for giving special treatment to high profile and notorious rights violators and thieves is once again illustrated in the case of Janet Napoles and former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Avelino Razon. The double standard is obvious and sickening, as compared to the inhuman treatment of political prisoners and common offenders,” said […]

After 22 years of advocacy and lobbying, the Philippines enacted the Anti-Torture Law in November 2009. This law is not an ordinary law. The Philippines became the first country in Southeast Asia to enact a domestic law on torture. In effect, this law means the country commits itself legally to the international community to enforce […]

Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena*, Gehan Gunatilleke** & Prameetha Abeywickreme*** Originally published in the LST Review, Volume 23, Issue 306 & 307, April & May 2013 Introduction The Nature of Impunity Those who abuse power almost invariably enjoy the power to abuse. Impunity is both a corollary of power and a tool for power retention; a phenomenon that, by […]

This article was initially published in LST Review- Vol.306 and 307 in May 2013 1. Introductory Remarks “We have every reason to be proud of the fact that our judicial system has been adopted in so many different parts of the world. At the heart of it is fairness to everyone who holds views with which […]

On June 21, we reported that Alfredo Lim, the former Mayor of Manila, had tortured a rape suspect in full view of the public, while the senior police officers present did nothing to prevent him. We rightly demanded that Lim, who perpetrated the torture and the policemen, who did nothing to stop the torture, be […]

CONCEPT PAPER: This conference is jointly organised by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and DIGNITY. Scheduled Date: 11-13 November, 2013 States across the world deny that custodial torture and ill-treatment exist within their jurisdictions. Yet, in reality, not only does such practice exist, it is often promoted within states, as a policy, whether clandestine […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the torture of a journalist in Enarotali, Papua, by three police officers. The Chief of Paniai District Police has apologised to the victim and promised that he will take action against the three officers. It is likely, however, that the ‘action’ will be […]

Review of Narrative of Justice: told through stories of torture victims, 400 cases of torture from Sri Lanka, By Basil Fernando, published in 2013 by the Asian Human Rights Commission. My first impression was that I was overwhelmed because of the sheer number of cases and the diversity of the ways in which people were […]

Review of Narrative of Justice: told through stories of torture victims, 400 cases of torture from Sri Lanka, By Basil Fernando, published in 2013 by the Asian Human Rights Commission. My first impression was that I was overwhelmed because of the sheer number of cases and the diversity of the ways in which people were […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Ganeshan Pushparaj and his brother Mr. Ganeshan Govi of Odinton Estate, Lindula, Thalawakalle in Nuwara Eliya District have been detained for more than 4 years and 10 months by the Terrorist Investigation Division. They were tortured in detention and have been laid […]

You said to me “ I can bear anything” with stubborn eyes you faced the sun until blindness became a ball of flame and the flame turned the sea to salt. – Lu Xiaobo : Ne enemies , No Hatred It was few days ago that they came and dragged him to their vehicle and took […]

An open letter from from the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) to the Honorable Ambassador of Bangladesh forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission OPEN LETTER To the Honorable Ambassador of Bangladesh, On behalf of KontraS (Commission for The Disappeared and Victims of Violence), we deplore the arrest and arbitrary detention […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the trial of an activist whom the policemen tortured and falsely charged eight years ago has been excessively delayed. The victim is being prosecuted for possession of illegal drugs based on planted evidence. Since his arrest, no investigation was conducted on his allegations […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is informed that, at 10:20 p.m., on 10 August, officers from the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police have taken into custody, Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, one of the most respected human rights defenders in Bangladesh, from his residence in Dhaka. Adilur is the Secretary of Odhikar, a prominent […]

The horrible military killings at Ratupaswala are nothing but mean and horrible killings. Nothing in the military terminology or strategic manuals could ever justify the horrible acts that happened at Rathupaswala. If there is some decency left in the military establishment in Sri Lanka, the first step that should be taken is to arrest the […]

Mr Ban Ki-moon Secretary General, United Nation 1 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017 Dated: 28/07/2013 Dear Sir, The Baloch Social Media Activists forum would like to draw your kind attention towards the heinous crimes that the occupying Pakistani army is committing against humanity in Balochistan on daily basis. In order to contain the […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the abduction and attack upon Mr. Shahed Kayes, a human rights defender working in Narayanganj district in Bangladesh. A group of persons abducted Mr. Shahed Kayes, a well-respected human rights defender, working in Narayanganj district of Bangladesh, yesterday, 25 July. The AHRC is informed that Kayes’ abductors, with […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has been following with concern news of the police targeting of gay and transgendered people in Burma, or Myanmar, and has recently obtained detailed information on a number of cases of alleged arbitrary arrest, detention and torture of persons on the grounds of sexual orientation. The AHRC is troubled both […]