Urgent Appeal Update

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is seriously concerned that some key perpetrators of recent cases of torture and cruel and inhuman treatment in Thailand remain at large, despite disciplinary action having been taken against some of the officers involved. The officers of particular concern are: 1. Police Major Kriangsak Tipjol, formerly of Lumpini […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) provides you the updated information below regarding the case of Mr. Gerald Perera, a torture victim who was shot by an unknown person on 21 November 2004. (See further: UA-157-2004)  As of now, this case has not received any attention from the Sri Lankan authorities. Even though Gerald Perera […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to inform you that no action has yet been taken to compensate or relocate victims of the illegal demolition that took place in Dacudao Compound in Davao City last October and November 2004 (see further: UA-152-2004). Under the Philippines domestic law, executive order no.152 states, “designating the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. D.G. Premathilaka, who was illegally arrested and tortured by the Katugastota Police from 8 to 9 January 2004, has been threatened by the police of the said police station in response to his complaint lodged against the perpetrators. (see previous urgent appeal […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned by information we have received regarding further torture inflicted on victims by police in Ayutthaya province, Thailand. The AHRC released an urgent appeal last Friday, 12 November 2004 (UA-153-2004) regarding two cases of extremely serious torture and cruel and inhuman treatment by police in […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to inform you the need for the Indian Government to provide witness protection in all trials related to the Gujarat pogrom.   Over 2,000 Indian citizens were killed in Gujarat in the weeks and months following 28 February 2002.  It is not known how many women and girls were […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the case of Mullakandage Lasantha Jagath Kumara, who was tortured to death by police officers of Payagala Police Station, has not yet been prosecuted under the Convention Against Torture (CAT) Act, No 22 of 1994.   According to the information received, though Inspector of […]

[RE: FA-12-2004: PAKISTAN: Girls killed for visiting grandparents without permission in another ‘honour killing’ on 11 May 2004; UP-23-2004: PAKISTAN: Three of the nine perpetrators were arrested but the police officer pressured politically on 27 May 2004; UP-46-2004: PAKISTAN: Jirgas and feudal lords continue undermining rule of law in Pakistan on 17 August 2004] Dear […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a torture victim, Hikkaduwa Liyanage Sandun Kumara (17 years old) and his family has been receiving continuous threats from the police officers who were involved in the brutal torture of the victim. H.L. Sandun Kumara had been illegally detained, brutally tortured and sexually […]

Torture of 17-year-old boy on 11 August 2003; UP-31-2003: Update on torture of 17-year-old boy, Chamila Bandara, by Ankumbura police on 20 August 2003; UP-38-2003: The security of the torture victim and his mother is severely threatened by the perpetrators on 25 September 2003; UP-39-2004: No action by the Attorney General to prosecute the torture […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is sending you a list of the names of the victims of the tragic incident in Narathiwat province, southern Thailand, of this October 25, 2004 that have so far been made public. At least 85 persons are now known to have died, 78 of them inside army […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission provides you the updated information below regarding the libel case filed by media conglomerate Shin Corp against a media-reform activist Ms Supinya Klangnarong and the Thai Post. Ms Supinya, Secretary General of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR), was sued by Shin Corp after she observed that […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that in Nepal the situation is under extreme conditions where loss of life is the rule of the day. A large number of cases have been reported on disappearances. People – women, men and children are reported to be disappearing within the country, especially […]

Dear friends, In response to the previous update on the case of disappeared human rights lawyer Mr Somchai Neelaphaijit, the Thai Minister of Justice, Mr Pongthep Thepkanchana, has defended himself and insists that progress has been made in the inquiry.  The Minister has said that although the Special Investigation Department had not taken over the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) would like to inform you that the International Labor Organization (ILO) has expressed its concern regarding the imprisonment of two Burmese men who filed forced labour complaints against local officials. The AHRC has issued several urgent appeals on this matter. (UA-112-2004, UP-50-2004, UP-51-2004 and UP-55-2004) In response to the AHRC’s last […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the wife and daughter-in-law of Dehiwatte Gedera Jayathilaka, who was allegedly killed by police torture at the Mahawela Police Station on 9 March 2004, were arrested by the officers from the Matale Police Station at around noon of 14 October 2004. The wife’s […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned by the delay in investigating the disappearance of a prominent human rights lawyer, Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit, who has been missing since 12 March 2004. This case has been pending for a considerable time, due in large part to inaction by the authorities. Despite assurances […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) refers you back to the case of Chamila Bandara, a young boy who suffered from serious injuries due to being hung and beaten at the Ankumbura Police Station from 20 to 28 July 2003. After the failed attempt by the Kandy Coordinator of the Human Rights Commission […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received news from the Yoma-3 news service that on 7 October 2004 the Henzada Township Court convicted U Ohn Myint and Ko Khin Zaw for criminal defamation after they had attempted to take complaints of forced labour to the courts. The same court threw out the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received a letter of response from the National Police Commission (NPC) of Sri Lanka regarding the case of Channa Prasanka Fernando. In the letter, the Chairman of the NPC confirms that action has been taken against a perpetrator of torture. The AHRC had sent an appeal letter to […]