Arbitrary arrest & detention

Dear Friends SITUATION: The International Security Act (ISA), that was enacted in the 1960s, remains frequently used to arrest, and indefinitely detain without trial, human rights and opposition campaigners. The ISA reportedly allows the authorities to arbitrarily arrest, detain incommunicado and interrogate activists, without granting them access to legal counsel or family visits for up […]

Dear Friends SITUATION: The International Security Act (ISA), that was enacted in the 1960s, remains frequently used to arrest, and indefinitely detain without trial, human rights and opposition campaigners. The ISA reportedly allows the authorities to arbitrarily arrest, detain incommunicado and interrogate activists, without granting them access to legal counsel or family visits for up […]

Dear Friends Press Release 13 May 2003 Alleged Assault on ISA Detainees in Kamunting Detention Centre – Malaysia The alleged assault on Tian Chua and Hishamuddin Rais by security guards in the Kamunting Detention Centre last Friday requires urgent and immediate independent inquiry. Custodial assaults of detainees by security officers are matters of grave concern. […]

Dear Friends Great news! Professor Salai Tun Than has been released! The Irrawaddy Online (05 May 2003) reported that, on Sunday, 4 May 2003, eighteen political prisoners, including Dr Tun Than, were released. Full story: http://www.irrawaddy.org/news/index.html?#dr, and part below: Dr Salai Tun Than arrived home yesterday (04 May 2003) from Insein Prison after serving 18 months […]

PHILIPPINES: Harassment, illegal arrest and detention conspired with landlord and the police ——————————————————————– The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed by Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), a well-known human rights organisation in the country, about the arrest and detention of a poor farm family under what are believed to be fabricated […]

SRI LANKA: Widespread practice of torture; the case of arbitrary arrest, detention and missing ——————————————————————– – Name of the Victim: KORALAGAMAGE Sujith Dharmasiri (23), unmarried and deserted the army on grounds of serious health problems. – Address of the Victim: Godaparagaha, Palathota road, Kaluthara south. – Responsible Police Station: Crime section of the Kaluthara south […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that a young activist in West Aceh, Mr. Musliadi (26), was kidnapped from his office by six men suspected to be from armed forces on November 30, 2002. His whereabouts remain unknown. He possibly suffers physical assault and torture and may even be in risk of his life.

Dear Friends, The following is a forwarded appeal from Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) regarding cases of physical assault and fire shoot to civilians by the army. According to TFDP, the series of human rights violations, like arbitrary arrest, detention, torture and summary execution, has been committed by the government forces that are […]

BANGLADESH: State terrorism; Mass arrests and torture by the army ——————————————————————– The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that more than 3,000 people have been arrested in a joint operation named “Operation Clean Heart” to crack down on criminals in which nearly 40,000 army troops are taking part. AHRC is extremely concerned that […]

Name: Hettitantrige Lasitha Sameera Madusanga, 17 years old, a student of Gurukula MV studying in Grade 12 A/Level class in the Science stream Address: No. 245, Dias Place, St. Francis Mawatha, Dalugama, Kelaniya. Tel 907804. The Date of the Police Assault: 17th Oct 2002 after 4.00 p.m. up to 18th Oct 2002 Morning Alleged Perpetrators: […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) sent an urgent appeal on Oct. 15, 2002, regarding the brutal action of the police in Mirpur in Pakistani-administrated Kashmir on Sept. 30, 2002. The detainees of Sept. 30 are still behind bars. The following report is an update regarding another brutal action of the police in Muzaffarabad, the […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that two foreigners and one Acehnese interpreter have been arrested and detained in charge of possession of information about the Acehnese independence movement by the Indonesian police in the South Aceh District on Sept. 10, 2002.

On Aug. 15, 2002, the members of the New People’s Army (NPA) ambushed a police team in Brgy. Pansoy, Sogod, Cebu, Philippines, injuring two policemen and one civilian. Immediately members of the 78th infantry battalion, under the command of Lt. Col. Jonas Sumagaysay, set up checkpoints in the area to block the fleeing rebels.

Indian police detained 13 people in New Delhi on July 11, 2002, including Mr. Gautam Navlakha, a human rights activist who is a member of the Indo-Nepalese Solidarity Forum that has advocated, among other things, an end to the state of emergency in Nepal and dialogue between the Nepalese government and insurgents to resolve the country’s problems through negotiations.

Sign petition for attorney general to bring justice to May 1998 riot victims INDONESIA: Denial of right to adequate remedy for victims of systematic gross human rights violations ——————————————————- The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has prepared an online petition to call on the attorney general of Indonesia to finally act to deliver justice to […]

Dear Friends,  Following is the latest update on Fr. Pallath’s hunger strike. He was arrested and forcibly shifted to the Calicut Medical College hospital today.  We are urging you once again to hold protests in front of the Jesuit houses in your country and to send protest letter, which suggested before, by fax or mail […]

State violence and repression in Asia INDONESIA/MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE/AUSTRALIA: Repression and violence against human rights defenders on May Day 2002 ——————————————————————– Last Wednesday was International Labour Day – the day to remember and continue the struggle for basic human rights for workers around the world. Far too often the efforts of worker activists for justice end in […]

Richard Cook, Director of UNRWA operations in the West Bank: 
“The reports we are getting are of wholesale destruction of a kind more normally associated with natural disasters such as earthquakes…. We implore the Israeli authorities to open up the camp to allow our relief teams to help its desperate population.” 

Dear Friends We are asking for your urgent action in the light of dramatic developments in the struggle of the ISA detainees for proper medical and legal treatment. The 8-day long hunger strike and several days without water has seriously weakened the six detainees to the point where two have been put on intravenous drip […]

Dear Friends,  We are forwarding you an appeal from the South Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR) based in Nepal regarding the arbitrary detention and torture of Dr. Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir.  According to SAFHR, Dr. Alamgir has been in detention for one month without any formal charge and has been continuously subjected to torture. Please […]