Torture

This week Just Asia is marking its completion of 250 episodes. Since October 2013, AHRC TV’s news programme has been providing a weekly broadcast of human rights news. Just Asia is the first online news report of its kind in Asia, bringing together stories and cases from victims, activists, journalists and all those concerned with […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to the Honourable Speaker of the Parliament on the murder of two businessmen in the Rathgama Bussa area; and on the General state of murder on the Island Mr. Karu Jayasuriya Honourable Speaker  Parliament Parliament Approach Road  Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte  SRI LANKA Tel: +94 112 777 […]

This week Just Asia begins with Sri Lanka, where investigations are ongoing into the abduction and murder of two businessmen from Rathgama. Until now, two police officers have already been arrested. Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department has revealed that the two businessmen, Manjula Asela and Rashin Chinthaka were abducted and murdered, and their bodies were […]

The discovery of body parts of two businessmen from Rathgama, Bussa area, who were abducted, disappeared, and later killed, allegedly by several policemen, including the Officer-In-Charge of the southern province special crime investigating unit, is major news in Sri Lanka these days. According to the newspapers, the two businessmen were kidnapped from Rathgama Bussa area, […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Advocacy Forum (AF) that police officers attached with the Police Post in Hatiya, Baglung District thrashed Mr. Som Bahadur Bista for speaking in English. Som Bahadur received life threatening injuries due to the police torture, and has been receiving treatment for his […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Terai Human Rights Defenders Alliance (THRDA) that the local police illegally arrested and tortured 25-year-old Mr. Bikki Mehtar in order to obtain a confession regarding the murder of Ms. Asha Dev, who was found murdered on October 18. The police took Mehtar […]

This week Just Asia begins with Pakistan, where 14 schools have been attacked by militants. Last Friday and Saturday saw schools in the Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan ransacked, torched and destroyed. Most of the schools were for girls. No one was hurt, as the buildings were closed at the time of attack. Nobel Peace Prize […]

The death of two college students under the wheels of a reckless bus has triggered massive protests in Bangladesh since July 29. The protests have spread across Dhaka and to other cities of the country. Two teenagers, Abdul Karim Rajib and Diya Khanam Mim, were run over by a bus while waiting for public transport […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information from the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), a national human rights organization, regarding the trial of Mr. Isak, who was tortured to death by military personnel. So far, the trial in the Military Court III-19, Jayapura, Papua has only […]

Bangladesh’s human rights situation has alarmingly deteriorated over the past years, and it tends to get worse. Exercising of basic freedoms by the ordinary people appears to be impossible under the current regime. Freedom of peaceful assembly and association is being denied and dealt with cruelty. Both the law enforcement agencies of the state and […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information from the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), a national human rights organization, regarding the case of torture and death of Mr. Isak Dewayekua (23), an indigenous Papuan. Army personnel of Yonif 755/Yalet unlawfully arrested and detained Isak and tortured […]

This week Just Asia begins with Sri Lanka, where well-known rights activist Amitha Priyanthi was attacked by two motorcyclists on July 6. Dressed in black, with helmets covering their faces, the assailants hit Ms. Amitha on her head and other parts of the body, and took her handbag and mobile phone. There is reason to […]

For several months now, rumours of traveling child snatchers have been floating around the country, spreading fear through Whatsapp messages and Facebook posts. Recently, the consequences of these rumours was the lynching and killing of two men from Guwahati who ventured into the tribal region of Karbi Anglong in Assam, and, of a group of five […]

This week Just Asia focuses on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, marked annually on June 26. Torture is a crime under international law. It is absolutely prohibited and cannot be justified under any circumstances. Despite this, torture persists in all regions of the world. Concerns about protecting national security and borders […]

An article from my Republica forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Torture, though labelled as inhuman treatment, is still prevalent in Nepal despite the state’s obligation and repeated commitment to prevent it. Nepal is obliged to prevent torture because it has signed and ratified United Nations’ Convention against Torture (CAT) in 1991. As the world stands […]

A Statement on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Nepal underwent political change in 2017, with local level elections held for the first time in 20 years. This was a significant step in ending the country’s political transition following the civil war (1996-2006). After a decade-long conflict in Nepal, the number […]

A Statement on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture June 26th every year is marked as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) works closely with victims of torture through its network of partner organisations across the countries it works in. […]

A Statement on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Torture remains a serious problem in Indonesia, even though it has been 20 years since it ratified the International Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT). There are also various national regulations prohibiting torture: […]

A Statement on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Globally, June 26 is celebrated as a day of solidarity for victims of torture. All over the world, various kinds of events are held in order to highlight the issue of torture and various ways to overcome this perennial problem. […]

This week Just Asia begins with terror attacks in Indonesia. The country’s second largest city of Surabaya saw yet another suicide bombing on Monday morning, at the police station. On Sunday, three churches were attacked, killing at least 11 persons, and injuring 41 persons during Sunday mass. This was one of the worst attacks on […]