Extrajudicial killings

Over the past decade, Human Rights Watch has recorded the occurrence of over 1,000 killings of civilians at the hands of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, in which a majority of victims were unarmed. Despite these numbers, arrests are rare in such instances of arbitrary use of force – which often result in the death of the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information concerning Mr. Don Bosco Dino alias Vindan Ridman 24, of Jaffna Police Division in the Jaffna District. He was extra-judicially murdered on 23 October 2017. Dino was shot at 3 p.m. on 22 October, by two individuals who appeared prepared and well-armed. He was […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information concerning Mr. Nawalage Kushan Thakshila Cooray (35) of the Minuwangoda Police Division in the Gampaha District. He was extra-judicially killed by Officers attached to the Special Task Force (STF) of the Sri Lankan Police Department. The victim was shot dead by the Officers while […]

A Sinhala translation of a Statement issued by the Asian Human Rights Commission, published by Lankanewsweb.net මාස 10ට ජීවිත 10 ක්! පහත දැක්වෙන වගුවෙන් දැක්වෙන්නේ 2017 ඔක්තෝබර් මාසය වන විට ගතවූ මාස 10කට ආසන්න කාලයක් මුළුල්ලේ අධිකරණයෙන් පිටත සිදුකළ ඝාතන 09 ක් සහ ඝාතන උත්සාහයන් 01 ක් පිළිබඳව ය. එම ඝාතන 09 සිදුවී තිබෙන්නේ පොලිස් ස්ථාන […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that around 500 residents in Dharamsal village, a small village on the Line of Control (dividing the State of Jammu Kashmir into Pakistani and Indian administered parts) have been living in equivocal situation since August 13, 2017. The Indian Army is unremittingly targeting […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the extra-judicial attempt to kill Mr. Pathirana Champika Kumara Jayatunga (28), a resident of Biyagama Police division by SFT Officers. The victim went out with his friend to purchase a new vehicle. Their rented van was fired on by a group of STF […]

This week Just Asia begins with India, where the Supreme Court ruled that sex with a wife younger than 18 is rape. This is a much needed legal development for child rights, and will help in the fight to end child marriage in the country. Sadly, the fight against marital rape for adult women continues. […]

The table given below sets down 09 extrajudicial killings, 01 attempted killing – 09 of which are at the hands of the police at various police stations and the other, in a prison. These 10 incidents are the ones reported to the Asian Human Rights Commission based in Hong Kong during this year. However, at […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the attempt to extra-judicially kill Mr. Ranhotigedara Vajira Kumara (41), at the Negombo Police Division in Gampaha District. At 5:30 p.m. 12 August 2017, Vajira was driving to his business with friends on Colombo-Puttalam Road towards Chilaw. Without warning, a group of Police […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding Pitawalagedara Chandrarathna (47), resident of Bakamuna Police Division. Chandrarathna was arrested on 4 May 2017 charged with participation in a murder. After being detained for 14 days, he was found dead on 18 September 2017–murdered inside the Polonnaruwa Remand Prison.   Prison Authorities said that they […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the extra-judicial killing of Mr. D P Premasiri (65) of Stace Road, Grandpass, Colombo 14 in the Colombo District. On 9 August 2017, Premasiri was illegally arrested, severely tortured at his house in front of his relatives and neighbors. Later, he was handcuffed […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the extra-judicial killing of Mr. Naiwala Appuhamilage Gamini Edwad (50) resident of Divulapitiya Police Division. On 2 October 2017, he was illegally arrested by Crime Branch Officers of the Police Station. Later, during his interrogation, he was tortured and pressured to admit committing […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the extra-judicial attempt to kill Mr. Jayalath Pedige Udaya Samantha Sooriyakumara (31), Devala Kanda, Dorawaka a resident of Warakapola Police Division in Kegalle District. At 5:30 p.m. 15 August 2017, Samantha was walking along with his mother. On the flyover at Veyangoda, on […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is very disappointed at the Indonesian government’s irresponsible denial of human rights violations in Papua and West Papua province. Far from taking steps to improve the human rights condition there, the government consistently denies the existence of any problem. At the recent 72nd session of the United Nations General […]

Twenty years ago, when the Asian Human Rights Commission’s (AHRC) Urgent Appeals Programme started, we embarked on a new venture to demonstrate the potential of the Urgent Appeals in creating a culture that respects the sufferings of the victims, and to create a counter culture of concern and protest. It is time now to assess […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about Mr. Magoda Pathirage Hemavipul (42). He was extra-judicially killed on 19 September 2017, by Officers attached to the Pitigala Police Station. The victim was arrested on 18 September and detained in a cell overnight. He was arrested following a complaint regarding a family […]

This week Just Asia begins with Pakistan, where a teenage student, Tania Khaskheli, was murdered for turning down a marriage proposal from an influential feudal lord in Sindh province’s Sehwan city. The Sehwan police only filed murder charges after strong civil society protest. While two persons have since been arrested, the feudal lord is still […]

This week Just Asia begins with Burma, where many Rohingya are suffering horrific injuries and loss of limbs by landmines along the Burma-Bangladesh border in their attempt to flee the violence. After the militant Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) attacked several police posts on August 25, the Burmese government carried out a brutal counter-insurgency clampdown. […]

The mysterious death of 35-year-old Dev Bahadur B.K.on 30 August 2017 seems to involve the Ghorahi Sub-metropolitan police, Dang District. Dev was arrested at around 6 p.m. on August 29 by police officers attached to the Ward Police Station, Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan. Dev was drunk at the time of arrest, and was taken to the police station in […]

A Statement from Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Darker and more dangerous: High Commissioner updates the Human Rights Council on human rights issues in 40 countries Human Rights Council 36th session Opening Statement by Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High […]