Open Letter

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) listened with close attention to your speech on 14 September 2009 to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, and is aware of your work for the rights of women prisoners in Thailand through the Kamlangjai Project, as well as with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and […]

16 September, 2009 We, the undersigned civil groups, are writing to express our serious concern at the lack of a transparent and reasonable mechanism for the minimum food in Hong Kong. As we are all aware, on 2nd September 2009, the Hong Kong SAR government announced that the food allowance, in lieu of free food […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to express its appreciation of the recent developments that the bill, which seeks to criminalize torture, has been ratified by the Philippine Senate and the House of Representatives on August 17, 2009. Though the bill has already been ratified, it has yet to be signed by the President […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 4, 2009 AHRC-OLT-022-2009 An Open Letter to the UN Special Rapporteurs on Freedom of Expression and Independence of Judges and Lawyers by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Frank La Rue Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression Palais des Nations CH-1211 Geneva 10 SWITZERLAND Gabriela Carina […]

I am writing this on behalf of the Asian Human Rights Commission on a matter that is, I am sure that of great importance and urgency to all the members of parliament, whatever political party they might belong to. This is the issue of extreme lawlessness within the policing system which is causing shock, scandal […]

To: The Member States of the UN General Assembly Your Excellency, As the Human Rights Council prepares for its 12th regular session, the first session with the new members elected in May 2009, we write to ask your government to commit itself publicly as a matter of national policy to support a competitive, genuinely-contested and […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you to request an immediate review of the status of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK). We request this on the basis that the NHRCK no longer complies with the Principles Relating to the Status of National Institutions on Human Rights (The Paris Principles) […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you following the inquest findings of a court in Thailand issued on 29 May 2009 that the deaths of 78 men in Narathiwat in October 2004 was a result of suffocation while being carried in vehicles. The findings clear the way for prosecutions of the persons […]

Following the killings of the entire LTTE leadership there is a strongly expressed feeling among Sri Lankans, within the country or outside, that their deaths particularly that of the leader, Prabakaran, should not be a matter for mourning. I beg to differ! That there were the most extreme forms of violence practiced by both the […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  May 8, 2009 AHRC-OLT-017-2009 An Open Letter to the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for Human Rights by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Jennifer Lynch Chairperson International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights c/o Canadian Human Rights Commission 344 Slater Street, 8th Floor […]

To:  The Member States of the General Assembly Your Excellency, On the occasion of the Human Rights Council elections on May 12, 2009, we, the undersigned international human rights organizations, wish to draw your attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Azerbaijan and encourage your government not to vote for Azerbaijan. During its 2006 […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 28, 2009 AHRC-OLT-014-2009 A Joint Open Letter from Civil Society Organisations to the Foreign Ministers of all UN member States Your Excellency: SAUDI ARABIA: UN member States urged not to vote for Saudi Arabia in upcoming Human Rights Council Elections On May 12, 2009, your government will vote for new members to the […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  April 30, 2009 AHRC-OLT-015-2009 A Third Open Letter to the Senate of Thailand by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Prasobsuk Boondech President Senate of Thailand Office of the Senate Secretariat 499 Sukpraprueit Building Prachachuein Road Bangsue, Bangkok 10800 THAILAND Fax: +662 831 9211 EXTREMELY URGENT Dear Mr. Prasobsuk THAILAND: Strongly oppose […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you out of grave concern that if the Senate proceeds with a vote on the seven persons nominated as commissioners of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Thailand at the sitting on this Friday, May 1 as the Senate Secretariat announced today, April 29, the […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you out of concern that the selection process for a new National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Thailand is being rushed through in a highly undemocratic manner, without any public consultation or accountability and contrary to the basic principles that the NHRC is supposed to represent. […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to draw your attention to the case of a Pakistani citizen who has been held in inhuman conditions inside a private cell for 34 years. Although the case is known to authorities in the area and a video documentary has been released about the man, no action has been […]

To: Eastern European Your Excellency, As a diverse coalition of human rights organizations, we write in advance of the 2009 Human Rights Council elections to welcome reports that Eastern European states plan to present a competitive slate for election to the Council. General Assembly resolution 60/251, which established the Council, specifies that Council members shall […]

To: Western European and Others Your Excellency, As a diverse coalition of human rights organizations, we write in advance of the 2009 Human Rights Council elections to urge the states in the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) to present a competitive slate for election to the Council. General Assembly resolution 60/251, which established the […]

To: Asian Your Excellency, As a diverse coalition of human rights organizations, we write in advance of the 2009 Human Rights Council elections to urge Asian states to present a competitive slate for election to the Council. General Assembly resolution 60/251, which established the Council, specifies that Council members shall be elected directly and individually, […]

To: African Your Excellency, As a diverse coalition of human rights organizations, we write in advance of the 2009 Human Rights Council elections to welcome reports that African states plan to present a competitive slate for election to the Council. General Assembly resolution 60/251, which established the Council, specifies that Council members shall be elected […]