Torture

WORLD: When we are dreaming of a torture free society

Statement | World | 30-05-2013

Torture: Asian and Global Perspectives – Volume 2 Number 01, just issued Torture is endemic! Every moment of every day torture takes place somewhere in the world which shows us the gravity of the social destruction and disorder. Having a dream for a torture free society is not an illusion but something that is attached […]

HONG KONG/PHILIPPINES: Daughter of falsely charged activists to speak on fabrication of charges at a forum

(Hong Kong, May 29, 2013) Twenty-three year old Nicolette ‘Nikki” Gamara, whose parents have been laid with fabricated charges, will speak at a public forum tomorrow, May 30 from 7–9pm (please see below for the details of the venue), about the ongoing and systematic practice of fabricating charges against human rights and political activists in […]

SRI LANKA: Three officers of the Department of Excise severely tortured and laid fabricated charges on an innocent man

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Dewasundaralage Thushar was illegally arrested, detained, brutally tortured and laid with fabricated charges. Thushara has been falsely charged with obstructing officers of the Department of Excise and having illegal liquor. The officers concerned asked Thushara to identify the person who was manufacturing […]

SRI LANKA: A man was arrested on suspicion of taking part in a bombing and sentenced to death after a sham trial

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Krishnaswami Ramachandran was arrested on suspicion of his involvement in the bomb blast at Daladha Maligawa in 1998. He was tortured and the charges were based on the confession he was forced to give under duress. In 2003 he was sentenced to […]

INDONESIA: Lenient punishment for police officers who tortured and shot a young man to death

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the punishment of three police officers who tortured and shot a 23-year-old man, Yusli, in 2011. The court sentenced two of the officers to two years of imprisonment and the other one to five years. It found the officers were responsible for […]

SRI LANKA: Ganeshan Nimalaruban case: Chief Justice Mohan Peiris denies petitioner’s lawyers right to see replies filed by Attorney General

The Fundamental Rights case of Ganeshan Nimalaruban was taken before the Supreme Court yesterday. The Bench consisted of: Mohan Peiris CJ, P. A Ratnayake PC J and S Hettige J. In the course of submissions by the petitioner’s lawyers, Chief Justice Mohan Peiris made the following remarks: “When the prison is under siege do you […]

SRI LANKA: Negambo police continuously harass a victim after torture and inhuman treatment

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Amarasinghege Priyantha Samanthilake was severely tortured by police officer P.C 51752 Jayasiri who is attached to the Negambo Police Station. On 27 April 2013, at about 9.30 am, Samanthilake was returning home after taking his daughter to her tuition class. Police Constable […]

BANGLADESH: Collapsed criminal justice system compounds violence against women

A Joint Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission and Odhikar on the occasion of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women’s visit in Bangladesh Two female Members of Parliament of the Opposition were ill-treated by Police on 7 March 2013 in Dhaka, Bangladesh Introduction: 1. Bangladesh has been ruled alternately by two women […]

INDIA: A human rights defender and a musician arrested for complaining against torture of villagers

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information from Human Rights Alert (HRA) regarding the illegal arrest of a human rights defender and a musician from Manipur for they dared to complain against an incident of torture of villagers and members of their troupe. The arrest, allegedly on fabricated charges, is believed to […]

INDIA: What else was expected other than Sanaullah’s murder?

Statement | India | 09-05-2013

Children are conceived, some born, others grow, and many die in Indian prisons. There is nothing particular about this, since such incidents happen in prisons across the world. However, what is unique to India is that custodial violence, of which many resulting in deaths, is no more news. Yet, the assault upon Mr. Sanaullah Ranjay, […]

BANGLADESH: A massacre of demonstrators

News reports from Bangladesh allege that a series of attacks on demonstrators have taken place, at around 3am today, May 6, 2013. The extent of the injuries and death is difficult to be ascertained at the moment. The Daily Star, a Bangladeshi newspaper, gave the figure of deaths as 5. However, several internet reports have mentioned that the […]

PAKISTAN: Twenty four separatists were extrajudicially killed in Sindh and Balochistan provinces after their abduction

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that twenty four activists from separatist groups were extrajudicial killed in Sindh and Balochistan provinces while they were campaigning against the general elections. Among the dead many bodies were found with bullet and torture marks. Most of the bodies were found on the same […]

PAKISTAN: A young man was tortured with an electric drill machine; the Chief Minister announces the formation of a medical board after three months of his death

Dear friends, The case of a young man from the province of Punjab exposes the lethargic and arrogant attitude of the government, the doctors and the influence of police. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a young man of 29 years was abducted by five police informers kept him for nine […]

BANGLADESH: Detained editor tortured in police remand

The authorities in Bangladesh, yesterday, shifted the Interim Editor of Daily Amar Desh, Mr. Mahmudur Rahman, to the Bangabandhu Sheikh Muzib Medical University (BMSSU). Rahman is detained at the Kashimpur Central Jail since 17 April 2013. The court had allowed Rahman to be detained in police remand for six days, before the police handed him over […]

PAKISTAN: A young Shia is charged with blasphemy — the judge and police demanded bribes for his release

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a young man is facing trial on blasphemy charges as he did not pay a bribe to the police and a judge of the anti-terrorism court (ATC). The witnesses in the case have not identified him as the main accused and even the […]

INDONESIA: Website launch www.papuansbehindbars.org

Jayapura, Tuesday 16 April 2013 Today the Civil Society Coalition for the Upholding of Law and Human Rights in the Land of Papua, working together with a number of human rights NGOs in Jakarta and internationally will formally launch the Papuans Behind Bars website www.papuansbehindbars.org, or in Indonesian, ‘Orang Papua Dibalik Jeruji.‘ The website is intended to support advocacy for the rights […]

BANGLADESH: Intervene now, to save the life of the detained journalist, Mr. Mahmudur Rahman

Yesterday, on 11 April 2013, the authorities in Bangladesh arrested the Interim Editor of a prominent Bangladeshi daily, Daily Amardesh, Mr. Mahmudur Rahman. When Rahman was brought before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka, he reportedly said: “… I know well that if I appoint any lawyer, he or she will submit prayers for my […]

PHILIPPINES: Police investigators concludes torture victims’ testimony as hearsay to justify refusal to prosecute policemen

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the local police have concluded that it will not prosecute policemen accused of torture because the victims’ testimonies are hearsay. They will not take action unless they are “formalized as complaint”. We earlier asked for an investigation on the victims allegations that […]

NEPAL: A torture victim remains in the custody of his torturers

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a twenty four young man has been tortured, kept in illegal detention and asked to pay for the restaurant bills of the policemen who had tortured him several times. Parshuram Chaudary was first tortured under interrogation in relation to the investigation of a […]

INDONESIA: Victim of torture and fabrication of charges in Surabaya is left without reparation

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information from a local organisation on a case regarding the torture and fabrication of charges of a man by the police. The Supreme Court has found the man to be not guilty of theft as accused and ordered suitable rehabilitation to be granted to the victim. […]