Enforced disappearances and abductions

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the abduction of a Christian employee, serving as a car driver, by local group Baldia town. It was the second time he was kidnapped and since December 19 was reported to have been tortured by the member of the assembly. Five months […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned about an alleged case of crimes against humanity. It took place on 24 December 2011 in Sape Port, Lambu sub-district, Bima Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province. Based upon investigations, a report was issued by the Commission for the Disappearances and Victims of Violence (KontraS), a national, prominent, […]

Glamorizing terrorists as born again saviours of humanity is the new tactic adopted by the state to abet home grown terrorism The month of December in Pakistan is akin to March for the Romans, when an empire was brought down. The historic day of December 16 has been particularly bloody, as it was on this […]

A Statement from International Peace Observers Network (IPON) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The repressions against human rights activists in the Philippines have been increasing dramatically. With the end of the peace talks and the declaration to label left-progressive organizations as terrorist groups, President Duterte not only threatens the Communist Party of the […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received the following up-dated information. It concerns the enforced disappearance of a 21 year-old student from one of Karachi University’s canteens. He was abducted by plainclothes persons in the presence of a good number of Rangers. The abductors came in a white car and on two […]

On the occasion of international human rights day, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) observes the major human rights issues of concern in Indonesia. Impunity and a fragile criminal justice system have let down victims of human rights abuse and those seeking justice. According to research by the Indonesian Legal Roundtable (ILR), Indonesia’s rule of […]

Pakistan is a signatory to several international human rights conventions. The country has in its constitution a good set of fundamental rights. Yet, the human rights situation in Pakistan is deteriorating. All human rights are violated in Pakistan with impunity. Rights of women and children; access to justice; labour rights; rights to: housing, life and fair trial, education, […]

(Hong Kong, 9 December 2017) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that different human rights groups across the country will hold protests and a series of other events tomorrow, December 10, to mark the International Human Rights Day. Today, the Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (Karapatan), an alliance of human […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the abduction and disappearance of a peace and civil society activist, Mr. Raza Mehmood Khan. Since he was abducted from his house by unknown persons on December 2, his whereabouts are unknown. Fellow peace activists blame the military establishment for his abduction […]

Just Asia completes its 200th episode this week. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)’s news programme was launched on 14 October 2013 as the Weekly Roundup, and provided a platform for the stories of those fighting for human rights throughout the Asian region. On its 100th episode, the news program evolved into Just Asia. Basil Fernando, Director […]

Declassified US Embassy documents reveal Indonesian Military involvement in the 1965 -66 Indonesian Massacre that killed nearly 500,00 persons. Many believe the number to be much larger as much as 2.5 Million persons. These killings were a part of a well-planned massacre in order to completely destroy the Indonesian communist party, which was then the […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Ko Ko Linn, a Rohingya community leader who was living in Bangladesh, has been picked up from a bus on 17 November 2017. Ko Ko Linn was travelling by bus from Cox’s Bazar to Chittagong in the evening of that day. The […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the disappearance of five activists belonging to the Baloch Student Organization Azad (BSO-Azad) and Baloch National Movement (BNA), and eight Balochs who were living in the vicinity of student leaders. Plain clothed men abducted all five men from Karachi, Sindh province, and their whereabouts […]

By Avinash Pandey Mr. Chandrashekhar Ravan, the founder of the Bhim Army remains in custody despite the Allahabad High Court granting him bail in all the cases registered against him. Ravan is in custody because of the Government of Uttar Pradesh has registered a case against him under the provisions of the draconian, National Security […]

by Javeria Younes  Despite lacking legal framework on disappearances Pakistan’s constitution prohibits illegal and arbitrary detention and under article 10. Though the phenomenon of disappearance has been ongoing incessantly for two decade to make matters worse the LEA officials have now adopted the tactic of picking up and disappearing innocent women and children of wanted man as […]

An article published in the Colombo Page on 8th November 2017, titled “Sri Lanka responds to media report on allegations of torture by government, assures investigations into the claims” forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Nov 08, Colombo: Sri Lanka, today responding to an Associated Press report which alleged that dozens of Tamil men were raped […]

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the enforced disappearance of a Shia man, Muhammud Bilal, by officials of a Law Enforcement agency. He has been disappeared twice and indicted on murder charges under frivolous grounds. A few days before his disappearance, Bilal had a hernia operation. To date his […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding three missing females in the Wellampitiya Police Division on 14 October 2017. According to relatives they have lodged a complaint with the Wellampitiya and the Grand Pass Police Stations. They requested an urgent investigation to ensure the safety of the young women. On […]

By Basil Fernando This article is a response to an article titled “International Convention on Enforced Disappearances violates the Constitution” published in a reputed newspaper The Island of 22nd October 2017, written by Neville Ladduwahetty. The crux of the argument in that article is that the definition of enforced disappearances as contained in the International Convention on […]

Dear Friends, Mr. Lalsiri Sampath Sugathapala (33) of Meehonda Wewa, Horowpathana was a resident of Horowpathana Police Division. He went missing on 14 April 2017. He was a regular soldier attached to the Sri Lanka Army. After resigning from the military he joined a company in Colombo. He was happy in his job. On 11 […]