Enforced disappearances and abductions

PHILIPPINES: Illegal arrest and forcible disappearance of two men in Bulacan, Luzon

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights), a human rights organisation based in Manila, regarding the arrest and subsequent forcible disappearance of Reynaldo Manalo and his brother Raymond on 14 February 2006. Reynaldo and Raymond were separately arrested by five men believed […]

ASIA: Somchai Neelaphaijit selected for 2nd AHRC Human Rights Defender Award

Today, February 20, 2006 the Board of Directors of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has selected Somchai Neelaphaijit for its 2nd , in recognition of his tireless efforts to bring justice to victims of human rights abuses in Thailand, for which he ultimately sacrificed his life. Somchai was a world-class human rights lawyer and […]

NEPAL: Supreme Court ruling on the Royal Commission for Corruption Control and the release of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba welcomed

Statement | Nepal | 14-02-2006

The Asian Human Rights Commission welcomes the landmark ruling by the Supreme Court of Nepal on Monday February 13, 2006, which declared the controversial Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) unconstitutional and ordered it to be scrapped immediately. This has paved the way for the release of ousted Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who had […]

UPDATE (Bangladesh): Three detained and tortured leaders have been released from prison in Chapainawabganj

[RE: UP-013-2006: BANGLADESH: Three persons tortured by the Chapainawabganj police; UA-041-2006: BANGLADESH: Eight people killed and at least one hundred injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district; UA-013-2006: BANGLADESH: Two people killed and thirty-five injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district] ———————————– UP-016-2006: BANGLADESH: Three detained and tortured leaders have been released from prison in […]

UPDATE (Thailand): Minister of Justice must clarify continued contradictions after verdict in Somchai Neelaphaijit case

[RE: FA-06-2004: THAILAND: A human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit missing… UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred; UP-24-2005: THAILAND: Thai minister refuses to act on missing human rights lawyer case; UP-37-2005: Thai PM orders action on missing human rights lawyer, while court hears […]

Nepal: over 600 persons arrested on the first anniversary of the royal coup

| Nepal |

On the occasion of the first anniversary of King Gyanendra’s royal coup, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed of the arrests of 600 persons engaged in peaceful demonstrations throughout the country. These persons were protesting against the return to autocratic direct monarchic rule and the plethora of human rights abuses that have […]

PHILIPPINES: Torture and forcible disappearance of a man in Batangas, Luzon

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you about the forcible disappearance of Francis Noel Desacula (35) in Batangas, Luzon on 9 January 2006. Desacula was last seen on January 16 reportedly with elements of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) in Laurel, Batangas onboard their service vehicle, days after he lost […]

THAILAND: Somchai case reveals flaws in Thai constitution

The Criminal Court in Bangkok on January 12 found that missing Thai human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit had been abducted and that a police officer was among a group of persons, all suspected to be police, who were responsible. The prime minister subsequently said that Somchai has been murdered, and insisted that the Department of […]

THAILAND: Challenges to justice in Thailand posed by abduction of Somchai Neelaphaijit will not disappear

This afternoon the Criminal Court in Bangkok will give its verdict on the guilt or innocence of five police charged in connection with the abduction and disappearance of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit on March 12, 2004. The five–Police Major Ngern Tongsuk, Police Lieutenant Colonel Sinchai Nimbunkampong, Police Lance Corporal Chaiweng Paduang, Police Sergeant Rundorn […]

UPDATE (Thailand): Verdict in case of missing human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit due on January 12

[RE: FA-06-2004: THAILAND: A human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit missing… UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred; UP-24-2005: THAILAND: Thai minister refuses to act on missing human rights lawyer case; UP-37-2005: Thai PM orders action on missing human rights lawyer, while court hears […]

SRI LANKA: 20 forced disappearances reported in December 2005

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of a report by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) stating that enquiries are ongoing regarding 20 complaints of forced disappearances that are alleged to have taken place during the month of December 2005. In a statement issued on this matter […]

NEPAL: Yet another person reported missing and feared killed by security forces

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that a person was taken into custody by the security forces in Nepal and since arrest his whereabouts are not known and that the person is feared to be murdered in custody. Advocacy Forum, the local partner of the AHRC has informed us that […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Disappeared victim’s family afforded financial assistance and trauma counseling

[Re: FA-16-2004: Forcible disappearance of a young man in Davao City; UP-103-2005: A 13-year-old daughter of a disappeared man in Davao City suffers trauma; UP-134-2005: Social welfare department fails relatives of disappeared victim in Davao City, Mindanao] ——————————————————————— PHILIPPINES: Disappearance; child rights; inadequate government action; social welfare ——————————————————————— Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission […]

THAILAND: DSI must promptly and assertively answer the question “Where is Somchai?”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 2, 2005 AS-123-2005 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission THAILAND: DSI must promptly and assertively answer the question “Where is Somchai?” December 1 was the last day in the trial hearings at the Bangkok Criminal Court over the alleged abduction and subsequent disappearance of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit […]

INDIA: Social activist kidnapped in Raigarh District, Chhattisgarh

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from reliable sources about the kidnapping of a social and environmental activist in Raigarh District, Chhattisgarh on 22 November 2005. Bina Rajput, a committed fighter for the rights of the poor and tribals was cycling from her home in Saraipali Village to another village […]

UPDATE (Thailand): Final special call for observers to attend court hearings over missing human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit

[RE: FA-06-2004: THAILAND: A human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit missing… UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred; UP-24-2005: THAILAND: Thai minister refuses to act on missing human rights lawyer case; UP-37-2005: Thai PM orders action on missing human rights lawyer, while court hears […]

UPDATE (Saudi Arabia/Sri Lanka): Renewed plea for commuting the death sentence of Sri Lankan men to the new King of Saudi Arabia

[RE: UP-43-2005: SAUDI ARABIA/SRI LANKA: Questions remain in Sri Lanka’s willingness to save three of its citizens; UP-39-2005: Three Sri Lankans face imminent execution in Saudi Arabia; UP-38-2005: SAUDI ARABIA/SRI LANKA: Please send a letter to the King of Saudi Arabia urging his intervention to commute the death sentence of three Sri Lankans; UP-34-2005: Death […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Social welfare department fails relatives of disappeared victim in Davao City, Mindanao

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that the local social welfare department in Davao City, Mindanao has failed the family of disappeared victim, Sabdurah Abdullah Ala. It was learned that although a personnel from the social welfare department, Alice Torejas, has interviewed Aminah Ala and her daughter Mirriam (13), […]

UPDATE (Sri Lanka): Police’s deliberate inaction in a labour case is in violation of court orders

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding 73 workers from the Orex Factory in Ekala, Jaela, Sri Lanka, who were unlawfully dismissed after the owner arbitrarily closed down the factory in 2002. The AHRC previously reported that the owner, Mohamed Mohamed Izzath deprived his workers of the Employees Trust […]

UPDATE (Thailand): Constant changes of prosecuting attorneys in Somchai’s case undermines judicial process

[RE: FA-06-2004: THAILAND: A human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit missing… UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred; UP-24-2005: THAILAND: Thai minister refuses to act on missing human rights lawyer case; UP-37-2005: Thai PM orders action on missing human rights lawyer, while court hears […]