No Torture

Dear friends,  Mr. M H A Sameera Sandaruwa (28) of ‘Sameera Sevana’, Dumkola Watte, Daragala, Waimada in the Badulla District is single and is also a worker at Noratel Lanka Ltd in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in Katunaya. On 30 May 2011 Sameera participated in a trade union action organized by the factory workers. […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concern about the continued detention of a man that the police have arrested as a suspect in the Maguindanao Massacre in place of the real accuse. The police harassed his common-law wife by threatening her into admitting that her husband and the person they were […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the shooting and ill-treatment of protesters by police between 22-24 August 2011 in Tiaka, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. During the protest for community rights against an energy company, held by the Student Alliance Front for North Bungku Utara and Mamosalato on 22 August 2011, […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received details about the torture of two men in separate incidents in Basilan, Mindanao. The group of soldiers who tortured one of them had previously been accused of torturing a boy. The two victims are presently in detention and being prosecuted over questionable charges.  CASE DETAILS: (based […]

A Joint Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission and the Asian Alliance Against Torture and Ill-Treatment A group of 26 human rights defenders and organisations, today concluded a five-day regional conclave and formed a unique regional initiative – The Asian Alliance Against Torture and Ill-treatment (AAAT). The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and the […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to Mr. Federico Mayor, President of the International Commission against the Death Penalty Mr. Federico Mayor President International Commission against the Death Penalty C/o The Secretariat Edificio Torres Ágora, Serrano Galvache 26, 28071 Madrid SPAIN Tel: +34 91 394 89 53 Email: asunta.vivo@icomdp.org Dear Mr. Mayor, […]

An interview with Basil Fernando, director for Policy and Programme Development of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) SPECIAL REPORT Torture in the Philippines & the unfulfilled promise of the 1987 Constitution OVERVIEW: In this eighth interview in the series, Basil Fernando, a Sri Lankan human rights lawyer and director for Policy and Program Development […]

Dear friends,  Similar to other cases raised with the Ombudsman the office has also ceased its intervention in the complaint of torture by the three victims, collectively known as the ‘Talisay 3’, invoking the excuse that it is the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to investigate complaints of torture. While the Ombudsman […]

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following report on the practice of torture in Indonesia for the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture from the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) in Indonesia. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- Download the full report at http://www.humanrights.asia/countries/indonesia/reports/ngo/KontraSTortureReport2011.pdf I. Introduction […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from Center for Victims of Torture (CVICT) on the occasion of the International Day in support of victims of torture. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong A Press Release from the Center for Victims of Torture (CVICT) forwarded […]

A Joint Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission and other Thai NGOs “Torture is a crime” Statement on International Day Against Torture For Immediate Release on June 26, 2011 “Human Rights Organizations urge Thai Government to prevent and eliminate the use of torture by law enforcement officials in Thailand by implementing its obligation under […]

(Hong Kong, June 28, 2011) A police spokesman commenting on the report on torture issued by the Asian Human Rights Commission last week stated that there had been a weakening of the policing system during the prolonged conflict with the LTTE where the priority was given to anti-terrorism. Answering questions from the BBC Sinhala Service […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, June 26, 2011 Three years have elapsed since the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh promised the country that India would ratify the United Nations’ Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, June 26, 2011 (The Asian Human Rights Commission has issued a report on 323 cases of police torture in Sri Lanka. We reproduce below the introduction to the report) The Asian Human Rights Commission […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, June 26, 2011 Torture in custody is a serious problem affecting the rule of law in Pakistan. It is used as the most common means by which to obtain confessional statements and also for […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, June 26, 2011 Due to the enormous changes in the popular consciousness of people throughout the Asian countries there is an increased demand for the elimination of the practice of torture. In the recent […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, June 26, 2011 Every year, 26 June marks the day to remember and renew our support to those who have been victims of torture worldwide. A day in support of victims of torture mandates […]

On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Pictures by the Wayside and the Asian Human Rights Commission, present explaining why torture remains a key problem in Asia. The 15 minute video explains why torture is one of the most difficult human rights issues to address, why the continued use […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. P W Cyril Sarath Kumara (26) of No: 6 B/59 A, Ambagahawella, Paragahakelle, Ampara was illegally arrested and severely tortured by the police officers attached to the Inginiyagala Police Station on 4 April 2011. A team of policemen went to the village […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. W.A. Lasantha Pradeep Wijeratna (36) of No. 98, Galahitiyawa, Ganemulla in the district of Gampaha was illegally arrested and severely tortured by the police officers attached to the Criminal Investigation Department on 15 August 2010. Lasantha was initially arrested by group of […]