Enforced disappearances and abductions

[RE: FA-06-2004: THAILAND: A human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit missing; UA-94-2004: THAILAND: Severe torture victims still in custody while police torturers remain in posts; UP-14-2004: THAILAND: Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit is still missing and the police may be involved in his disappearance; UP-26-2004: THAILAND: 5 suspects in the alleged abduction of missing human rights lawyer […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to draw your attention to a particularly disturbing case involving a Mrs Nisha Neupane from Prithvi Nagar, Chitwan, who was arrested by Security Forces on 31 March 2005. Mrs Neupane is pregnant and requires continuous medical treatment for kidney problems. However, the police have detained Mrs […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 23, 2005 AS-32-2005 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission Anticipating Thailand’s missing-persons centre  The announcement last week by Thailand’s new justice minister Suwat Liptapanlop that a missing-persons centre will be established under the Forensic Science Institute deserves strong public support. The growing number of alleged disappearances in Thailand is […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of the disappearance of a young man named Sanjiv Kumar Karna (alias Dipu), whose whereabouts have remained unknown since 8 October 2003. On that day, Sanjiv was picnicing with friends when joint security force personnel approached. The security forces took Sanjiv and his […]

[RE: FA-06-2004: THAILAND: A human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit missing; UP-14-2004: THAILAND: Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit is still missing and the police may be involved in his disappearance; UP-26-2004: THAILAND: 5 suspects in the alleged abduction of missing human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit bailed out; UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly […]

[RE: FA-06-2004: THAILAND: A human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit missing; UP-14-2004: THAILAND: Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit is still missing and the police may be involved in his disappearance; UP-26-2004: THAILAND: 5 suspects in the alleged abduction of missing human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit bailed out] Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) shares the concerns expressed by the Secretary General of the United Nations in his statement on the human rights situation in Nepal. Time and again the AHRC has stressed that regional governments such as India, international governments and bodies such as European Union, national political parties and the King […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned by another illegal arrest and forced disappearance of a young man named Mr Naniram Kafle (23) by around 50 personnel of the Joint-Security Force, which took place in the Naubise Village Development Committee-1, Dharke, Dhading, Nepal on 21 September 2004. His whereabouts are currently […]

Around two hundred Nepalese are now have been witnessed to be crossing the border into India every hour, escaping the atrocities of both government and Maoist troops. Clearly, the violence in Nepal is intensifying. Recent reports speak of highly deliberate and aggressive strategies on both sides to harass and intimidate civilians. Others reveal deeply worrying […]

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 […]

With the expiry of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Punishment and Control) Act — 2058 this 12 October 2004, His Majesty’s Government of Nepal has introduced a more severe and draconian version of the same law in its stead: the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Control and Punishment) Ordinance — 2061. Clause 9 of the latest […]

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, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man named Heeralu Mohottalalage Punchi Banda (39) was illegally arrested and tortured by the Sub Inspector (S.I.) Dhammika Bandara of Samanalaweva Police Post in Balangoda on 26 August 2004. Due to brutal torture, the victim still suffers from severe pain on his […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a young prisoner named Lewadeni Parirannehelage Senake Weerasinghe has been disappeared from open prison camp at Pallekele since 19 August 2004. The prison authorities claimed that he had escaped from the prison while he was taken for a bath. However, the prison authorities […]

SUMMARY The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned that four out of five torture victims represented by missing Thai lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit remain in custody, while the police officers allegedly responsible for their torture continue in their posts. The five men, who were accused of involvement in terrorist activities, were allegedly heinously tortured […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information of another re-arrest of four people by security personnel in violation of court orders in Morang, Nepal on 14 July 2004. More seriously, it was reported that the security forces arrested these four persons as soon as they stepped out from the judge’s chamber […]

The authorities in Thailand have abandoned any pretence that they are trying to resolve the disappearance of well-known human rights defender and lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit. After initially reacting to domestic and international outcry (see AHRC statement AS-07-2004, 18 March 2004), they seem now to be concerned only with deflecting criticism, obscuring the truth and discouraging […]

Disappearance of Thai human rights defender cause for grave concern What has happened to Somchai Neelaphaijit, and why hasn’t the government of Thailand so far been able to reveal the circumstances of his disappearance? Reports indicate that Mr Somchai, who is a prominent lawyer and human rights defender from the south of the country, was […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Forum-Asia that a prominent human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit is missing since 12 March 2004. We are forwarding the statement of Forum-Asia regarding this matter. It is reported that Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit’s human rights activities in Southern Thailand have created tension within […]