Urgent Appeal Update

INDONESIA: Court’s refusal to provide adequate remedy to underage torture victims

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed by Padang Legal Aid (LBH Padang) that the judges of Muara Sijunjung District Court have refused the case of restitution submitted by a mother of two minor victims who were tortured to death by the police. The restitution is part of the mother’s effort […]

INDONESIA: Congratulations to the Attorney General for discontinuing prosecution of fabricated cases

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has information that after pressure and intensive lobbies conducted by national and international civil society organizations, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), Mr. HM Prasetyo, decided to stop prosecution against a senior Corruption Eradication Commission investigator, Mr. Novel Baswedan. He also dropped the cases of Mr. Abraham Samad […]

PHILIPPINES: Over a year’s delay in trial of mother falsely charged with beating her son

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you of the continuing delay in the court hearing of Mary Vic Medina, a mother falsely charged of assaulting her own son. The reason for the postponement of her trial was due to the absence of the presiding judge. UPDATED INFORMATION: (Based on the […]

INDONESIA: Further investigation needed in activist killing despite indictment of 35 persons

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that the high prosecutor (Kejaksaan Tinggi) in East Java province, Indonesia has announced 35 suspects in the brutal attack of two land rights activists. Although the ARHC appreciates this achievement, the investigation should be continued to uncover any alleged involvement of the state […]

INDONESIA: Police yet to show progress in the Tolikara case investigation

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the police investigation process in relation to the Tolikara case. A total of 11 people became victim to the violence on 17 July 2015 in Tolikara Regency, Papua Province. However, so far there has been no notable outcome to the investigation undertaken […]

BURMA/MYANMAR: Court denied bail five times to a seriously-ill detainee

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) received updated information on a man arrested over a Facebook post allegedly defaming the military. He is suffering from a serious health condition in Insein Prison. He has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the prison hospital since 27 October 2015. His advocate has […]

PAKISTAN: Police implicate the brothers of Tahira Khoso in murder case to adversely affect the case of honour killing

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information in the case of honour killing of Tahira Khoso by her husband in presence of her father and brother who were trying to stop him from torturing her. Umrani was later found murdered in Balochistan province. The Jacobabad police under the pressure from […]

PAKISTAN: The Ismaili Shia professor died because of the religious based victimization from university authorities

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that the Ismaili Shia lady professor from N.E.D. Engineering University died at the hospital bed who was victimized by the university authorities on the basis of religious hate campaign against the Shia community, the second largest Shia sect of the country. The teaching […]

THAILAND: Threat of enforced disappearance against Ms. Waewrin Buangern and Rak Ban Haeng Conservation Group faces intimidation by authorities

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to share an updated appeal from Protection International about the high-risk situation of Ms. Waewrin Buangern (Jo), coordinator of the Rak Ban Haeng Conservation Group and a community-based Woman Human Rights Defender, who is under constant and surveillance by military authorities. Military personnel have threatened her […]

INDONESIA: Bau-Bau District Court convicts officer with light punishment

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the death of Aslin Zalim in police custody in Bau-Bau Regency, South East Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. The Bau Bau District Court has convicted Police Adjunct Senior Commissioner (AKBP) Joko Krisdianto, former Chief of Bau Bau Police Resort (Polres Bau Bau), to six […]

PAKISTAN: Raja Dahir, abducted by Rangers in June, found dead, tortured

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the extrajudicial killing of a disappeared person, Mr. Raja Dahir, who was abducted by Pakistan Ranger personnel on June 4. After they raided his house and abducted him his whereabouts had been unknown. Raja Dahir’s corpse was found 20 days ago in […]

BURMA/MYANMAR: Author sentenced to two years imprisonment; appeal rejected

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding a writer who was charged and prosecuted for allegedly committing a religious offence. He has now been sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour. An excerpt of his speech, which excoriates extremists and jingoists, intended for the benefit of Buddhism, spread […]

PHILIPPINES: Husband and daughter of murdered land rights activists suffer trauma

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that the husband and daughter of a murdered land rights activist, Elisa Tulid, are suffering trauma as a result of her death. Elisa’s husband Danny Boy, and daughter, have been observed “staring into space”, “quiet and uncommunicative,” after witnessing the murder of the […]

PHILIPPINES: Court orders the arrest of the alleged mastermind in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the alleged mastermind in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl had already been indicted. The court ordered his arrest without bail. In our earlier appeal, the AHRC expressed concern that he had not been included in the charge despite compelling evidence from […]

BURMA/MYANMAR: Villagers still without remedy for police attack on protestors

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that no redress has yet been provided for farmers from central Burma that were attacked violently by the police during peaceful protest. Without any warrant or court order, the police used guns on the protesters. Farmers lodged a case against the police but […]

PAKISTAN: Baba Jan and Iftikhar Husaain sentenced to life imprisonment for the second time – for fighting for the rights of prisoners

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the continuous persecution of human rights defenders in Gilgit and Baltistan, the occupied lands by Pakistan. Mr. Baba Jan and his associate Mr. Iftikhar Hussain were sentenced for the second time for life imprisonment by an Anti Terrorist Court (ATC) in Gilgit, […]

PAKISTAN: Call to immediately withdraw the sedition charges against the nine human rights defenders for holding a peaceful protest

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that nine human rights defenders from Gilgit-Baltistan, including the President of the Supreme Appellate Court, Bar Association were charged for sedition for holding a protest in front of the office of United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) at Gilgit. […]

PHILIPPINES: Another killing of three farmers – a father, son, and a sugarcane farmer

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received further information on the murder of three more persons. In one incident, a father and his son were killed; and in another a sugarcane farmer. The AHRC is concerned by this renewed pattern of targeted attacks on human rights and political activists, and the absence […]

PHILIPPINES: Two military sergeants, one captain and others indicted for torture

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that after three years of investigation, the soldiers who tortured a man and set him on fire, have been indicted for torture. The entire process, however, has lacked the transparency the law requires which has contributed to inappropriate delays. It took one year […]

PAKISTAN: Release with immediate effect, Baba Jan and other eleven human rights defenders, sentenced for life imprisonment by an anti-terrorism court

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that 12 human rights defenders including Baba Jan, a prominent human rights defender, have been sentenced to imprisonment for life, by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC). They have been so sentenced for raising their voice and holding a protest against not providing compensation rightly due […]