Human rights defenders

UPDATE (INDONESIA): 9 of Bandung 19 declared Not Guilty despite unfair trial

Dear Friends  We are pleased to inform you of great success thanks to your efforts in support of the ‘Bandung 19’, wrongfully arrested on June 15 2001, tortured, held incommunicado and subject to unfair trial. You will recall that the young workers, students and activists were protesting the government’s planned increase in oil prices. The […]

UPDATE: Who is Dr. Salai, Burmese political prisoner?

Further to our Urgent Appeal of 28 January 2002 regarding the arrest and detention of Dr. Salai Tun Than in Rangoon, Burma, for holding a peaceful one-man protest, we have received additional details of the Professor’s arrest and his distinguished biography. 

INDONESIA/ACEH: Humanitarian workers and human rights activist attacked

Humanitarian workers and activist who are assistings victims of the on going arms conflict are often not welcome by both the armed rebels and the Indonesian military. Humanitarian workers and activist themeselves have become victims to violences, intimidation, torture and disappearances.  21 August 1999 Two humanitarian workers from BEMA LAIN in Ar-Raniery were arrested by […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (Sri Lanka): Disappearance of Mr. Pattani Razeek, Executive Committee Member of FORUM-ASIA

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from FORUM ASIA concerning the disappearance of a human rights defender and member of the Community Trust Fund (CFT) in Puttalam, Sri Lanka who went missing on 11 February 2010. Complaints to the local police and the Human Rights Commission of Sri […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (Philippines): A female human rights activist stabbed to death in Bislig City, Mindanao

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding an appeal from the  KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights), a human rights organization in Manila, Philippines, regarding the killing of another labor activist. Mrs. Victoria Samonte (51), the regional vice-chair of the KMU-CARAGA which is the leading labor alliance in the Philippines, […]

PHILIPPINES: Harassment of a prominent Muslim human rights defender

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal from Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) – Mindanao regarding the harassment of a prominent Muslim human rights defender, Mr. Temogen Sahipa Tulawie. If you wish to make any inquiries please contact TFDP at: 214, Earth St., GSIS Heights, Matina, […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (Honduras): Safety fears for threatened human rights defender in Honduras

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal from Amnesty International regarding the safety issue of a human rights defender in Honduras. Threats made against a human rights defender is an extremely serious matter, and one which concerns us greatly. For this reason we forward information to you now […]

VIETNAM: Arrest and arbitrary detention of four Vietnamese

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal from the Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT-France) regarding the arrest and arbitrary detention of four Vietnamese. If you have further question, please contact them at Tel: +33 1 40 40 42 43; or their office address at […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (India): Human rights activists arrested and released for protesting against caste based discrimination

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Child Rights and You (CRY) and the People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) regarding the case of arrest and release of human rights activists in Thirunelveli, Sankarankovil and Tenkasi areas of Tamil Nadu. It is reported that about 500 activists were […]

PHILIPPINES: Threats to a key witness and his family for testifying against soldiers involved in the disappearance of six men

Dear friends,   The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal from the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) about the threats on Sgt. Esequias Duyogan and his family.     Sgt. Duyogan is the key witness to the forced disappearance of six men, collectively known as ‘PICOP six’, in […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (Sri Lanka): Immediate protection needed for Mr. J.C. Weliamuna with impartial investigation for grenade attack

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward the appeal sent to the President of Sri Lanka and the president of the Bar Association by Dutch Lawyers for Lawyers Foundation based in the Netherlands on 7 October 2008. This appeal is in regard to the recent grenade attack against Mr. J.C. Weliamuna, […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (Bangladesh): Legal action against one human rights advocate due to his work on illegal demolition of one Hindu temple by the armed forces

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding an urgent appeal issued by the Human Rights Congress for Banglaesh Minorities (HRCBM) regarding the legal action against its Dhaka chapter President, Rabindra Ghosh. A case was filed against the victim alleging his work as anti-state, after he contacted several local government officials to inquire […]

PHILIPPINES: Twenty six workers and union leaders illegally dismissed in Negros

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding to you an appeal about the illegal dismissal of 26 workers and union leaders of a retail company when union leaders successfully won the election replacing officers allegedly appointed by the company in Negros. The newly elected officers were supposed to represent the rank and […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (Sri Lanka): Fear for safety: J.C. Weliamuna, human rights lawyer and His Family

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding an appeal received from Amnesty International regarding a grenade attack on a human rights lawyer who is the director of Transparency International Sri Lanka in Colombo. If you have further queries in this case, please feel free to contact the office of Amnesty International. Thank […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (Pakistan): Arrest of human rights defenders in Pakistan

Dear friends, Please see below a letter sent by a group of organisations in Thailand to the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, regarding the arrest of human rights defenders during a recent peaceful assembly in Pakistan. Interested persons can write similar letters to the President of Pakistan and to Pakistani embassies or consulates in […]

NEPAL: The Unacceptable Prohibition of Freedom of Movement of Human Rights Defender

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward a statement issued by a group of human rights organisations in Nepal, with regard to the unacceptable prohibition of freedom of movement of human rights defenders. For the security of these organisations, we do not provide their names. The AHRC raised its concern regarding […]

INDIA: Manipur state government closing down independent media and civic organizations

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is very concerned by the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Manipur, Assam where numerous human rights groups and non-governmental organizations are being forced to close their offices. We are forwarding information from the Centre for Organisation Research and Education (CORE) about an independent media organization that […]

INDIA: Human rights defender murdered in Uttar Pradesh

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from Voice of the People (VoP), Uttar Pradesh, People’s Watch Tamilnadu (PWTN) and People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) Uttar Pradesh concerning the murder of Mr. Hari Lal. It is reported that Hari Lal was a leader of the VoP, an […]

PHILIPPINES: Petition asking President Aquino to take custody of a falsely charged activist

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding a petition asking President Benigno Aquino III and his officials to consider taking into their custody Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie, a prominent human rights defender in Sulu, Mindanao Island, who had to go on hiding after being falsely charged on charges of murder. Tulawie is willing […]

FORWARDED APPEAL (India): Further arrests and ill-treatment of human rights defenders by security forces

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you an appeal from the Front Line regarding the case of arrest, detention and suspected torture of  human rights defenders in the Indian state of Manipur. Several human rights organisations across the world have expressed their concern for the safety of these human […]