Open Letter

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you with regards to the recent arrest and charging of six workers’ rights advocates in Myanmar, with which you are already familiar. The six were among 33 persons arrested on 1 May 2007 after organising a discussion at the American Center in Yangon. The International Labour […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you in response to a press release issued by the Public Relations Department of Thailand dated 23 July 2007 in which it is stated that during a courtesy call to the interim prime minister, General Surayud Chulanont, you offered to send a team of around one […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you today further to your press release of 25 April 2007, issued together with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, concerning the attack on a group of Burmese human rights defenders in Hinthada (Henzada) of April 18. We thank you for […]

I am writing this on behalf of the Asian Human Rights Commission to raise an issue regarding a problem of policy which is affecting the capacity of the Sri Lankan government to provide legal assistance to migrant workers who are facing serious charges may carry the death sentence before courts in several countries. In some […]

His Excellency the Hon. Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse President Socialist Democratic Republic of  Sri Lanka C/- Office of the President Temple Trees, 150, Galle Road Colombo 3 SRI LANKA Fax: +94 11 2472100 / +94 11 2446657 Email: secretary@presidentsoffice.lk Your Excellency, Re: Matters relating to the case of Rizana Nafeek and an appreciation of the role of […]

Dr. Palitha T.B. Kohona,  Secretary / Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic Building,  Colombo 01, Sri Lanka. Dear Dr. Kohona, Re Rizana Nasik of Mutur—the young girl facing death sentence by beheading:   Matter relating to legal assistance for her appeal. I am sure you are aware of the death sentence pronounced on […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  June 18, 2007  AHRC-OL-021-2007 An Open Letter to the Acting President and the Dean of the School of Law of the City University, Hong Kong 1. Professor Richard Yan-ki HO (Acting President) City University of Hong Kong Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 2. Professor Peter MALANCZUK (Dean – School of […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 18, 2007 ALRC-OL-001-2007 An Open Letter to the UN Working Group on enforced and involuntary disappearances Mr. Santiago Corcuera Chairperson Working Group on enforced and involuntary disappearances OHCHR-UNOG 8-14 Avenue de la Paix 1211 Geneva 10 SWITZERLAND Fax:   +41 22 917-9006 Dear Mr Santiago Corcuera ASIA: When is an enforced disappearance […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is a regional non-governmental organisation based in Hong Kong. I hope you will recall several of our earlier letters addressed to your office requesting urgent actions on cases of human rights violation reported from West Bengal. On June 13, 2007 the AHRC was informed about the arrest and detention […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to request that representatives of the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) working in Asia be given sufficient skilled people and funding of abuse. Our request comes after recent communication with Mr Homajoun Alizadeh, the regional representative of your office in Southeast Asia. We had […]

Both of us who are the authors of this letter are from Cambodia and Pakistan, two countries that have witnessed the bitterest lessons of dictatorship. We were shocked and saddened to see a statement in the Sri Lankan media (The Morning Leader, May 30, 2007) attributing a comment to you in which you said that […]

Mr. Suhada K. Gamalath – Secretary  Judicial Service Commission Superior Court Complex Colombo 12 Sri Lanka Fax: + Fax: 94 11 2320785 Dear Mr. Gamalath: SRI LANKA: An Open Letter to the JSC regarding the Gampaha Magistrate’s order of justifiable homicide regarding the killing of two suspects in Re: The verdict of justifiable homicide in […]

Mr. W.N.J. Lokubandara The Honourable Speaker Parliament of Sri Lanka Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte Sri Lanka Fax: +94 11 2777564 To the Honourable Speaker and all Honourable Members of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, SRI LANKA: The AHRC Open Letter to the Honourable Speaker and the Members of Parliament calling for a parliamentary debate I am […]

Justice S. Anandacoomaraswamy Chairman Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka No. 36 Kynsey Road Colombo 08 Sri Lanka Tel: +94 11 2694925 Fax: +94 11 2694924 Email: sechrc@sltnet.lk Dear Mr. Justice Anandacoomaraswamy, SRI LANKA: An Open letter to the Chairman of the HRCSL on the quantum I refer to your letter to us dated 26.4.2007. As […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission sent an Urgent Appeal on February 26, 2007 (UA-063-2007) to several government authorities to which a reply was received on May 7, 2007 from you as the Additional Secretary for the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order dated April 3, 2007 (SMOD/703/HUMAN RIGHTS). The AHRC’s Urgent Appeal concerned […]

Thank you for your reply of 30 March 2007 to the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) concerning the case of Somphon Dechanuphap and three others. As we informed you, the case has been going on in a court of first instance in Bangkok for 14 years and has so far been heard by a total […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to draw your attention to the tragic case of Mr. Hazoor Bux Malik. As you should be aware, this case allegedly involves a vicious attack that resulted in the victim having his penis severed by police officers from the Market police station in the Larkana district of Sindh province.  […]

You are aware that it has been 18 years this past February since over two hundred defenceless villagers were butchered allegedly by the Indonesian army in 1989. Since the atrocity human rights groups and the family members of the victims have been advocating for the establishment of a special inquiry to find out what exactly […]

You will be familiar with the case of Somchai Neelaphaijit, the human rights lawyer who was forcibly disappeared in Bangkok on the night of 12 March 2004 after he had publicly alleged that five of his clients were tortured. The Criminal Court, former prime minister and head of the Council for National Security have all […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 7, 2007 AHRC-OL-009-2007 An Open Letter to the Editor of The Nation by the Asian Human Rights Commission The Editor The Nation 44 Moo 10 Bang Na-Trat KM 4.5 Bang Na, Bangkok 10260  THAILAND Fax: +662 751 4446 Dear Sir THAILAND: Denial of reality won’t restore human rights The Asian Human […]