Freedom of religion

UPDATE (Pakistan): Intervention required into religious conflict in Pakistan

[RE: UA-214-2005: PAKISTAN: Desecration and destruction of churches and Christian property after blasphemy allegations at Sangla Hills, Pakistan; UP-148-2005: PAKISTAN: Tensions continue to simmer in alleged blasphemy case at Sangla Hills, Pakistan] Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to further update you on the case involving the desecration and destruction of churches […]

UPDATE (Pakistan): Tensions continue to simmer in alleged blasphemy case at Sangla Hills, Pakistan

[RE: UA-214-2005: PAKISTAN: Desecration and destruction of churches and Christian property after blasphemy allegations at Sangla Hills, Pakistan] PAKISTAN: Religious intolerance and violence, destruction of churches and Christian properties, threat and intimidation, rule of law ———————————————————————- Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to update you on the case involving the desecration and […]

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 […]

PAKISTAN: Desecration and destruction of churches and Christian property after blasphemy allegations at Sangla Hills, Pakistan

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the destruction of Christian churches and schools by people enraged at the alleged blasphemy of the Holy Quran. According to the information we have received, on 12 November 2005, a mob attacked three Churches, a Sister’s Convent, a Christian school building and a […]

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 […]

INDONESIA: Continued attacks and intimidation on minority Islamic religious sect, Ahmadiyyah

INDONESIA: Freedom of religion, religious discrimination, physical attack, threats and intimidation, religious intolerance, government and police inaction —————————————————— Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the attack and intimidation on the minority Islamic religious sect, Ahmadiyyah members by other villagers in Ketapang Village, West Lombok, Lombok Island, Indonesia, on 19 October 2005. […]

INDIA: Human rights defender physically assaulted, threatened and detained by government officials

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information through its local partner MASUM in West Bengal that Mr. Gopen Sharma, a human rights activist was illegally detained, threatened and assaulted by the officers at the Block Development Office in Jalangi, Murshidabad District, West Bengal. Mr. Sharma was, at the time of the […]

UPDATE (India): No compensation to family of adivasi, murdered by forest official, despite a four year wait

[Re: UA- 50 -2005: INDIA: Three and a half year wait for justice for the brutal murder of an Adivasi (tribal person) by a forest official in Gujarat] Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information on the case of Manishbhai Motibhai Vasava (30), an adivasi who was murdered by an Indian […]

SRI LANKA: A man tortured and prosecuted with false charges by the Samanalaweva Police Post

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 […]

PAKISTAN: Christian pastor abducted and assaulted in Quetta

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is concerned by information regarding the assault and abduction of Pastor Wilson Fazal, on 16 May 2004 in Quetta, Pakistan. Prior to this incident, three churches in Quetta had reportedly received letters instructing them to expel all Muslims from their institutions and to abandon their preaching and […]

UPDATE (Pakistan): Police inaction as threats continue against a victim’s family and human rights group

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received additional information about the killing of Irfan Khokhar in Pakistan (Refer to: UA-49-2004 and UP-24-2004). The victim’s family is still being threatened as are staff members of Peace Worldwide, who is helping the victim’s family. Irfan Khokhar, who was the information coordinator of Peace Worldwide, a Christian organization […]

PAKISTAN: A suspect in a blasphemy case died after being attacked by a policeman with a brick cutter

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Samuel Masih, 27, a suspect in a blasphemy case, who was in a critical condition after police constable Faryad Ali hit him on the head with a brick cutter, died on 28 May 2004. Samuel was a tuberculosis patient who got TB while […]

UPDATE (Pakistan): Victim’s sister receives death threat; Victim’s family needs urgent protection

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned that Ms. Samina Khokhar, the sister of Irfan Khokhar, has received a death threat from unknown men who are believed to be connected to the perpetrators of her brother’s murder. Irfan Khokhar was the information coordinator of Peace Worldwide, a Christian organization based in […]

PAKISTAN: Member of Christian minority community killed

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that Irfan Khokhar, the information coordinator of Peace Worldwide, a Christian organisation based in Islamabad, Pakistan, was murdered by three men on the night of Feb. 7, 2004. Since his death, the family of the victim have been intimidated by Hafiz Atta ur Rehman, who […]

PAKISTAN: A young woman killed by her husband on the pretext of honour killing

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 30-year-old woman named Ms. Hidayat was allegedly killed by her husband, Mr. Momin Ali Mahar in Dal village, Lakhi Ghulam Shah Town, Shikarpur District, Sindh Province, Pakistan on 29 February 2004. The case was registered at the Chak Police Station. However, a human […]

PAKISTAN: Attack on the Bible Society in Karachi

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information of an attack against the Christian minority in Karachi, Pakistan. On 15 January 2004, a hand grenade was thrown through the window of the Bible Society, injuring one of the staff, Peter Pervaiz. About 20 minutes later, during which time people had gathered outside […]

INDIA: Religious intolerance and communal violence in Jhabua, India

Dear Friends  We are forwarding you an appeal from Hotline Asia regarding the tragic rape and murder of a 9 year old girl, which incident was used to provoke religious intolerance and violence against the Christian minority in Jhabua, India. Please read the short account of the incident and take the action requested.  Urgent Appeals […]

UPDATE (INDIA): Update on expulsion of Sr Vanaselvi while in detention

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) had previously issued urgent appeals and wrote appeal letters to the Congregation of Mother of Sorrows Servants of Mary calling for the justice for Sr. Vanaselvi who was exqelled by the Congregation while she was in detention. Sr. Vanaselvi was arrested by the Suramangalam Police of Salem […]

INDIA: Support Religious Freedom in India

Dear Friends, Support Religious Freedom in India We need your help to prevent the loss of religious freedom in Gujarat. Please support religious freedom in India and fax a letter of concern today. Thank you. Urgent Appeals Desk Asian Human Rights Commission Dear partners and friends of the All India Christian Council. This is another […]

UPDATE (PAKISTAN): The sole survivor of the attack is illegally confined and is feared of being tortured

Regarding the recent attack on the office of IDAR-E-AMN-O-INSAF (Institute for Justice and Peace), where seven innocent Christians were murdered on 25 September 2002 in Karachi, Mr. Robin Peeran Ditta (32), the only surviving employee at the time of the incident, has been illegally confined in police custody. Instead of arresting the real culprits, Mr. […]