Police violence

NEPAL: A 14-year old Dalit girl raped and murdered by a group of upper caste men

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Sita Sada, a 14-year old Dalit girl, was raped and killed by upper caste men on 17 May 2004. According to our information, while Sita was sleeping at night, more than 10 men came and dragged her out of the house. Two days […]

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 […]

SRI LANKA: Political attacks on the NPC and election violence in Sri Lanka

In recent weeks some senior politicians from the government of Sri Lanka have tried to blame the increase in crime on the National Police Commission (NPC). In fact no link between the NPC and the increase in crime has in any way been established. On the contrary, there is widespread consensus that the decreased violence […]

(UPDATE) Pakistan: Complainant of honour killing case forced to accept jirga decision

Dear friends, It has come to the attention of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) that a jirga was organized in the case of Hidayat Mahar, who was killed by her husband on the pretext of honour killing (see UA-28-2004). The jirga, headed by tribal leaders as well as a state official, forced the victim’s father […]

BANGLADESH: Rapid Action Battalion officers arbitrarily torture and detain three men, resulting in the death of one

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a human rights organization in Bangladesh that Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officials arbitrarily tortured and arrested Sha Newaz Tito, Munir Hossain Talukdar and Ziaul Alam Dipu in the Agrabad area of Chittagong, Bangladesh on 4 August 2004. The brutal torture led to the […]

INDIA: Violent attack on human rights defenders by supporters of West Bengal ruling party

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from its partner organisation in West Bengal, Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (Masum), about a violent attack on a group of human rights defenders engaged in a street meeting in Hooghly, greater Kolkota. Over 50 persons led by local leaders of the ruling communist party attacked […]

SRI LANKA: Brutal force used to disperse unarmed and peaceful workers

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mount Lavinia police severely assaulted numerous Bata Shoe Company workers in Colombo on 12 August 2004, to break up a 52-day long protest. Male and female workers were seriously injured in the police assault, after which the police arbitrarily arrested 13 of them. […]

SRI LANKA: Failure to discipline criminal police officers in Sri Lanka exacerbates social instability

That police in Sri Lanka continue to get away with torture and murder despite enormous publicity was dramatically illustrated this past fortnight, with the killing of an innocent man involving an officer who is also a known torturer. The alleged killing of Saman Priyantha Guneratne on May 30 is understood to have involved the same […]

SRI LANKA: Police severely assault two men outside a cemetery

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding yet another case of police torture in Sri Lanka. Halnetthige Nelsan Perera and Halnetthige Lenith Nuwan Peiris were severely beaten on 13 March 2004 by police officers outside the Pinwatta Cemetery, where Perera had earlier in the day buried his wife. The AHRC […]

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 […]

SRI LANKA: Arbitrary shooting of the police into a crowd

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is concerned by the arbitrary shooting of the Gampola police into a crowd, killing young Suranga Sampath. The police have further failed to conduct any investigation into this matter. Your urgent intervention to correct this matter is required. Urgent Appeals Desk Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) ——————————————————- […]

SRI LANKA: A gang rape victim suffers from police inaction

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned about the gang rape case of a 16 year old girl Miss. X (Name withheld).  She was abducted by a wealthy man David Kaiser (21 years old) and gang raped by at least 5-6 men on 2 July 2003. Even though the police identified […]

SRI LANKA: Man tortured by drunk policemen from the Mahiyanganaya Police Station

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the torture of Mr. Tennakoon Mudiyanselage Gunesekera by six policemen from the Mahiyanganaya Police Station on 31 December 2003. The victim was severely assaulted by the perpetrators with wooden bats solely because he did not see one policeman’s bicycle parked near the hotel. […]

SRI LANKA: Brutal attack of the police on the people in Baddegama village in Madahapola who campaigned against crime

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned about the brutal attack by the police on the people of Baddegama village, Madahapola on 31 December 2003. When the torture victim’s mother went to the Gokarella Police Station to lodge the complaint, about 200 drunken policemen and their supporters who had gathered at […]

SRI LANKA: Arbitrary arrest and torture of a man by police officers at the Kuliyapitiya Police Station

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received another torture case from Sri Lanka. A man named Bamunuarachchi Pathiranalage Sathkumara was brutally tortured by the police officers at the Kuliyapitiya Police Station. Please send a letter to the local authorities and request them to correct this matter immediately and take serious action to […]

UPDATE (SRI LANKA): Torture victim’s family flees home due to police threats

Dear friends The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) notes with grave concern that the father and mother of torture victim Dawundage Pushpakumara (14 years old) have left their home due to threats from the police. It was reported to the AHRC previously that they have been threatened by the police and a local politician after […]

INDIA: Victims arbitrarily arrested and manhandled by Kattakada police and damage caused to property

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Kerala police, India, have arbitrarily arrested 19 persons and caused damage to their property. Your urgent action is required to pressure local authorities to correct this violation. Urgent Appeals Desk Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) ———————————————————————————————————– Name of the victims:1. Mr. Ajeer; […]

SRI LANKA: A 50 year old man killed by the police after arrest and torture

Dear friends Name of victim: Okanda Hevage Jinadasa (50), Married man with 5 children; a mason by occupation Date of victim’s death: 5 September 2003 Address of victim: Okkampitiya, Moneragela District Alleged Perpetrators: Grama Arakshaka personnel attached to the Okkampitiya Police Post Details: On 5 September 2003, Okanda Hevage Jinadasa was returning home by bicycle […]

SRI LANKA: Torture of 17 Year Old Boy

Dear Friends Brutal Torture of a 17 year old and others, causing permanent injuries; Illegal arrest; Illegal detention for 8 days Victim: B.G. Chamila Bandara Jayaratne of 166 Godahena, Dolapihilla (17 years old), educated up to 11th grade Dates of incident: from 20 July to 28 July 2003 Perpetrators: Several Police Officers from Ankumbura Police Station and Gramma Arraksaka […]

INDIA: Torture, death in police custody, impunity

Dear Friends Please take action on the information below, forwarded from the organisation People’s Watch-Tamilnadu, which is a human rights organisation working for the protection and promotion of human rights in the state of Tamilnadu, India. People’s Watch-Tamilnadu have been taking action on behalf of the citizens of Tamilnadu and elsewhere regarding blatant violations of human […]