Death in custody

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2011 The full report is available for download at http://www.humanrights.asia/resources/hrreport/2011/AHRC-SPR-008-2011/view. The state has become dysfunctional in providing basic human rights to the people. Though the parliament exists it either cannot assert its constitutional duties or does not […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2011 On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2011 the AHRC is publishing the annual report on the State of Human Rights in South Korea in 2011. The full report is available […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2011 On the occasion of the 63rd Human Rights Day, the Asian Human Rights Commission is releasing its annual report on the state of human rights protection in Nepal through 2011. The report is available here. Given […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2011 On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2011 the AHRC publishes its annual report on the State of Human Rights in Indonesia in 2011. The full report will be made available […]

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following statement from the Committee against Torture at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- 1. The Committee considered the combined third and fourth periodic report of Sri Lanka (CAT/C/LKA/3-4) at its 1030th and 1033rd meetings, […]

(Hong Kong, October 14, 2011) This report is entitled the Alternative report to the committee against torture in connection with the third periodic report of Sri Lanka. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), Hong Kong, REDRESS Trust London, Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT), Denmark and Action des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la torture (ACAT France) […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is disturbed to learn that India’s National Human Rights Commission has deemed on 15 September 2011 a case of custodial death to be closed by the payment of compensation to the victim’s family, despite no criminal action taken against the perpetrators. Kalu Mondal was brought to the […]

Dear friends,  Mr. Ganearachchi Appuhamilage Gayan Saranga (29) of Katulanda, Dekatana, Dompe in the Gampaha District was arrested and extrajudicially killed by the police officers attached to the Dompe Police Station on 29 September 2011. Saranga was first arrested at his wife’s home and the police informed his relatives they needed to record a statement […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the death in custody of a sixteen-year old teenage boy, one year ago in Rupandehi District. The boy was arrested by the police at 12.30 pm on 3 July 2010 regarding a lethal bicycle accident. He was dead when he was taken […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Human Rights Alert (HRA) that the 12 Maratha Light Infantry stationed at Patsoi in Imphal West district of Manipur has tortured to death a young man in custody. Upon information concerning the murder, the local police have concluded that the case is […]

Devarathnam Yogendra ( 28 ) is the complainant in a bribery case against IP Wijesuriya of the Hatton Police Station, who has been indicted on a charge of obtaining bribes. This charge has been filed on the basis of a complaint made by Yogendra on November 6, 2010 and it is alleged that the police […]

Sofie Rordam Sri Lankan citizens are protected against torture and arbitrary arrest in sections 11, 12 and 13 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka. In addition Sri Lanka has ratified the United Nations Convention against Torture and Cruel and Inhuman Treatment in 1994. While the legislation is there, the effectuation is not. The gap between […]

We hope that wishing for a happy new year in Sri Lanka is not just mere wishful thinking. We wish: 1. That Rizana Nafeek, facing a death sentence in Saudi Arabia, will be released as soon as possible. This wish can become true only if the Sri Lankan government makes all the diplomatic efforts to […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year. In all countries of Asia, this Christmas and new year will be celebrated in very difficult conditions. We extend our wishes to all families who are struggling in the midst of these difficulties to fight for their rights. We particularly […]

Extrajudicial killings and custodial deaths are happening because of: Refusal of the police and judiciary to investigate; The absence of investigations is the result of breakdown of the rule of law; Which is in turn the result of the constitutional decision which has removed all the checks and balances once available   The incidents of […]

When extraordinary explanations justify extrajudicial killings   By Sofie Rordam Arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings are an almost daily occurrence in Sri Lanka today. The police system and additional institutions expected to be the protectors of law have become so dysfunctional and politicized that illegalities predominantly are carried out in their names. Extrajudicial killings are […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that a man, who was last seen alive in custody of a unit of investigators, had been found dead. When his decomposing body was recovered, it was placed inside an oil drum filled with construction cement, his hands were tied behind his back, […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the custodial death of 16-year-old Dharmendra Barai on 4 July, which is suspected to have been caused by police torture. An investigation team set up by the District Administration Office has concluded that they could not establish that torture was the cause […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 16-year-old boy died in custody in unclear circumstances in Rupendehi District. Dharmentra Barai. The boy was arrested by the police and brought to Khajuriya Police Post regarding a lethal bicycle accident. He was taken dead to the hospital in the early morning […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about two killings that took place during a police operation in Aceh. The men died after police arrested them and took them to an area that they believed was being used by an armed group. Both detainees were unarmed and in custody but were […]