Torture

SRI LANKA: A man is randomly detained and extensively tortured at Bandaragama police station

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man was kept in illegal custody for seven days and tortured extensively and severely by the Bandaragama police to make him confess to a theft that he did not commit. He was badly beaten, hung up and kicked, and had chili juice […]

INDIA: A witness to murder by the Assam Rifles is under threat in Manipur

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Human Rights Alert (HRA), a human rights organisation based in Imphal, Manipur state, concerning the threats to life faced by the a witness to torture and murder, committed by the Assam Rifles. On 16 May the Assam Rifles arrested Mr. Pebam Gunendro […]

PAKISTAN: A chilling tale of police torture — Asian Human Rights Commission

Since the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) first reported on the torture of Mr. Fazal Abbas and his family by police earlier this month, details of escalating brutality have continued to become public, particularly in the case of Abbas’ brother-in-law, Mr Shafiq Dogar. The events are horrifying enough on their own, but when one imagines […]

BANGLADESH: Twelve men are detained and tortured by police under fabricated charges

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that twelve men were illegally arrested and tortured while in detention at the Kotowali police station in Jessore district. Two of the detainees’ hands were broken as a result, and no arrangement of medical treatment has been made the by authorities. No attempt has been […]

PAKISTAN: Love marriage greeted by the torture of a family; one girl is abducted by a Punjab MP

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information that six members of a family, including three women and one young girl, were arrested on the instructions of a member of the Punjab provincial assembly (and Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N) in retaliation for a love marriage. All have been tortured severely by police in custody, […]

BANGLADESH: Two men arbitrarily detained and tortured by police to elicit bribes

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that two men were detained for four days by the police without charge or legal record, and beaten severely each day to elicit bribes. The men were then confronted with fabricated charges and released only after they paid large fines. The debt has caused one […]

SRI LANKA: Failure of medical examination in a case of police torture

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police attached to the Bulathsinhala Police Station allegedly assaulted a man and cut his hand with a knife while questioning him even though the police had full control of him on 12 April 2009. When the man was brought to the Bulathsinhala Hospital, […]

SRI LANKA: Alleged torture and prolonged detention of a couple

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that officers attached to the Dehiwela Police Station arrested a couple on 21 November 2007 who were allegedly tortured by the police and later again tortured by the Terrorist Investigation Division. Since then, the couple has been detained in Colombo Remand Prison. No reason […]

BURMA: Journalist jailed on wrong charge for shooting video of referendum vote

Dear friends,  Last week the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) issued an appeal on the case of two journalists jailed in Burma for trying to help people left homeless after Cyclone Nargis to visit international agencies. In this appeal we bring the case of another journalist jailed in Burma, in his case for taking video […]

SRI LANKA: Police allegedly torture a man during interrogation

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police arrested and took a man to a police station, where they allegedly tortured him during the interrogation.  CASE DETAILS: (Based on the information received from Sathivel Bawani, the victim’s wife)  When Mr. Rengasami Chithrakumar, a driver of three-wheeler failed to come home, his […]

SRI LANKA: Police allegedly torture men during interrogation

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police allegedly tortured a man, accused of murder, to force him to provide five names during interrogation in the Nawalapitiya police station on January 9. All five men named were accordingly arrested. One man was allegedly tortured. The other four were put in […]

SRI LANKA: Police arbitrarily detain parents and torture father till son is handed over

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Minuwangoda police arbitrarily arrested some parents on the 17 February and held them as hostages until their son surrendered himself to the police. In the police station, the father was allegedly tortured in the lock up while the mother was prevented from […]

SRI LANKA: Police allegedly torture and ill treat a man

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding an alleged illegal arrest, torture and ill treatment of a man by a Sub Inspector of police attached to Meegahatenna police on March 2, 2009 in Sri Lanka. He was manacled to a door throughout the whole night in a standing position. As […]

SRI LANKA: Police allegedly torture a man; his lawyer receives threats from police

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Meegahatenna police allegedly tortured a man on March 1, 2009 in Sri Lanka. After the torture, police manacled him for two days without providing water, food and bathroom facilities. They finally forced him to sign a statement with no explanation. His legal […]

SRI LANKA: Police allegedly torture a man to get information

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the torture of a youth by officers attached to Moragahahena police for the purpose of obtaining information on February 2, 2009 in Sri Lanka. The youth sustained injuries as a result of which he had to undergo treatment at prison hospital.  CASE DETAILS: (Based […]

SRI LANKA: Police allegedly torture a young man

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Wennappuwa police tortured a young man on October 8, 2008. Following his arrest the police did not inform his family and allegedly tortured him whilst he was in their custody. The man had to undergo surgery to his leg due to the […]

PHILIPPINES: Soldiers assault and illegally detain seven construction workers

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that seven construction workers were illegally arrested and held by soldiers over allegations that they were constructing a house for a rebel leader. The workers, however, were neither working for a rebel leader nor involve in any rebel group. They are heads of […]

INDIA: Dalit boy tortured and humiliated at a police station in Kerala

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Nervazhi, a human rights organisation based in Kerala, India about the case of a Dalit boy, who was tortured and humiliated by the local police in Kerala. The AHRC is informed that a Sub Inspector of Police, Mr. Balachandran, who took Nithish Lal, […]

SRI LANKA: Suspicious death after being assaulted in prison

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the assault and subsequent death of a man in Wariyapola prison on December 22, 2008. He was severely assaulted by prison guards and left without medical attention even though he had sustained serious injuries. He was transferred to another prison where he was […]

BURMA: Man jailed over footage of army-confiscated farmlands

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has obtained details of the charging, sentencing and imprisoning of a man in Burma for helping farmers to lodge complaints about confiscation of land in the central part of the country. Ko Zaw Htay was found guilty of giving out official secrets and sentenced to ten years’ […]