Enforced disappearances and abductions

This week Just Asia begins with Burma, where satellite evidence shows mass destruction in Rakhine state, home to the persecuted Muslim Rohingya minority. The latest images from Human Rights Watch indicate that some 820 structures were burnt in five villages between November 10-18. The rights watchdog is calling for an urgent UN investigation into the […]

The people of tribal areas bordering Afghanistan are caught between the Pakistan army on one hand, and the Taliban and ISIS on the other. The terrorists attack and kill tribal leaders for not allowing them to set up their training centers and move freely in the mountains, while the Pakistan army arrests, tortures, and extrajudicially […]

By Basil Fernando When the high level delegation of Sri Lanka met the UN Committee against Torture (CAT Committee) last week on the 5th Periodic Review, one of the Committee members raised an important issue. The Member asked whether the dysfunctionality of the justice system in Sri Lanka has virtually created a situation of a de facto […]

A Statement from Network Against Killings in the Philippines (NAKPhilippines) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission There has been an epidemic of summary killings and extrajudicial executions across the Philippines for decades now. From 1998 to December 2015, a total of 1,424 were documented to have been killed by the so-called Davao Death Squad […]

A Press Release from Network Against Killings in the Philippines (NAKPhilippines) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). NAKPhilippines Says Duterte Has Brought Human Rights Crisis to New, More Dangerous Level (MANILA, Nov. 22, 2016) – The Philippine government should hold accountable members of law enforcement agencies implicated in the extrajudicial killings of civilians […]

This week Just Asia begins with Pakistan, where terrorist attacks continue despite the Pakistan army’s various anti-terror operations. In the latest attack, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the crowded courtyard of Sufi Saint Shah Noorani’s shrine on November 12, killing some 60 persons and injuring 156. The Shah Noorani shrine in Balochistan’s Hub […]

A Statement from the International Peace Observers Network (IPON) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission. The International Peace Observers Network (IPON) expresses its deep concern about the precarious security situation and the continuing criminalization of human rights defenders (HRD) in the Philippines. Against this background, IPON welcomes the decision of the German Member of […]

Javeria Younus In one of the worst incidents that has occurred at plot number 54 Gadani ship-breaking yard, in Balochistan, 26 people have lost their lives and more than 100 are reported to missing and feared dead. It is likely those missing had their bodies burned to ashes and washed away by the water used […]

This week Just Asia begins with Hong Kong, where more than 2000 lawyers marched silently in black on Tuesday, protesting against Beijing’s interpretation of the Basic Law, to prevent two elected activists from taking up their seats in parliament. Prominent advertisements in Tuesday morning papers read ‘Beijing destroys rule of law—Hong Kong world city no […]

(Released on 5 November 2016) parents of Mr. Anan Kerdkaew, a suspect who died in police custody while being interrogated, shall file a charge against the Royal Thai Police with the South Bangkok Civil Court about the injuries and death of Mr. Anan Kerdkaew. Mr. Anan was arrested on 9 November 2015 being suspected of […]

Bangladesh’s Government and its law-enforcement agencies have earned a reputation for refusing to take responsibility for the crimes they commit institutionally or that agency personnel commit in their individual capacity. The Bangladesh Government and its law-enforcement agencies have been shamelessly denying their involvement in enforced disappearances despite over 300 people having been disappeared by Bangladesh […]

Beginning with Thailand this week, the Provincial Court of Songkhla read the verdict of Appeals Court Region 9 regarding the case of Mr. Anat Hayeemasae, former member of the Satun Provincial Administration Organization (PAO). He had appealed the order of the Court of First Instance, which had sentenced him to 22-years-and-six-months-imprisonment for an offence against […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the death threats against a lady teacher and her husband after a senior police officer initiated an inquiry on the Urgent Appeal and proceeded to exonerate all the perpetrators. One member of the National Assembly from Sindh provincial ruling party allegedly used […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Yasin Mohammad Abdus Samad Talukder remains disappeared since 14 July 2016. On that day, personnel claiming to be law-enforcement officers picked him up as he was sitting waiting in his car. Yasin was waiting for his cousin to arrive at the Kakoli […]

Ever since the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) established the Ad Hoc investigation team for the Paniai case, under the decision 1 March 2016 letter of the Chair of the Komnas HAM (Number 009 / Komnas HAM / III / 2016), there is no progress in this case (see case details at AHRC-UAC-089-2015 and a […]

An oped from the Kathmandu Post forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Unlike Kathmandu, the situation in other districts of Nepal, surprisingly, looks quite different from the conflict victims’ perspective. For example, intimidation by the security forces continues in the district of Kapilbastu. Surveillance in the vicinity of the homes and workplaces of the […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding a professor, a lawyer, and two activists from a political party, who have been arrested and disappeared by a law enforcement agency. One amongst those arrested were disappeared on October 23, and since then his whereabouts are unknown. The MQM-Altaf political part has […]

Beginning with Pakistan this week, the appeal of Ms. Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy and on death row for the past seven years, has been further adjourned by the Supreme Court. After receiving threats from fundamentalists, Justice Hamid-ur Rehman recused himself from hearing the appeal. Asia Bibi’s lawyer said it would probably […]

Just Asia begins this week the detention of Hong Kong student activist Joshua Wong at Bangkok airport, for being a threat to Thailand’s national security. Invited to give a talk at Chulalongkorn University, Joshua was barred from entering the country by immigration officials. According to the Thai Deputy Police Commissioner, Joshua’s detention was purely a […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the government of Pakistan for placing prominent journalist Mr. Cyril Almeida on the Exit Control List (ECL), labelling him as a threat to national security, and barring him from leaving the country. This was done in retaliation for reporting a meeting between the military and civilian government on […]