Threats and intimidation

GENERAL APPEAL (Philippines): 105 Human Rights defenders reportedly listed as military targets in a leaked document

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern over the listing of 105 Human Rights defenders, which included, lawyers, journalists, human rights and political activists, physicians, union leaders and religious leaders in Davao City, as military’s targets in a document reported to have come from a military source. The AHRC feels […]

PAKISTAN: Government of Punjab kept four teenagers and a man in illegal detention on Blasphemy charge

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that four children were illegally arrested under the blasphemy laws on January 28, 2009. They are in dangerous health conditions in the jail and their parents are not allowed to visit them according to jail policy. One, Mohammad Irfan son of Mukhtar Ahmed, 15 […]

SRI LANKA: Police arbitrarily detain activist without reason

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that officers allegedly attached to the Special Task Force (STF) and the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) arbitrarily arrested and detained an activist on 12 February 2009. He has allegedly been targeted for his activities in documenting cases of child abuse in Jaffna. Even though […]

SRI LANKA: Police arbitrarily detain parents and torture father till son is handed over

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Minuwangoda police arbitrarily arrested some parents on the 17 February and held them as hostages until their son surrendered himself to the police. In the police station, the father was allegedly tortured in the lock up while the mother was prevented from […]

SRI LANKA: Police allegedly torture a man; his lawyer receives threats from police

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Meegahatenna police allegedly tortured a man on March 1, 2009 in Sri Lanka. After the torture, police manacled him for two days without providing water, food and bathroom facilities. They finally forced him to sign a statement with no explanation. His legal […]

THAILAND: Threats to human rights defenders in the South

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Working Group on Justice for Peace (WGJP) that a group of soldiers and police raided the branch office of WGJP in Pattani province in the South. It took place after the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) made a report, which in fact […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Ailing Abadilla Five detainee receiving threats following renewed campaign to release them

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern regarding the death threats that one of the Abadilla Five detainees, whom we previously reported to have been suffering from kidney failure, is receiving inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City where he is presently detained.  UPDATED INFORMATION:  On 14 January 2009, […]

SRI LANKA: A rape victim was intimidated and harassed by the police to marry her abductor and rapist

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding an incident in which a girl was abducted by a staff of Civil Defense named Mr. Sanjith on November 16, 2008. She was raped in a house for refusing to marry the man. The Dambulla police officers threatened to kill the girl when […]

SRI LANKA: No action taken against air force officers who assaulted villagers and damaged their property

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding an incident in which two young men were harassed by air force officers attached to the Koggala Air Force Base on November 4, 2008. Under the influence of liquor, the officers assaulted two villagers and damaged their property. Similar incidents had taken place […]

CAMBODIA: Police allegedly assault venders in Battambang province

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the police allegedly assaulted a family of venders in Battambang city, Battambang province, Cambodia on 25 October 2008. The police damaged their trays and severely assaulted the father of the family. Their beating caused him to sustain serious injuries and lose consciousness. CASE DETAILS: (Based […]

SRI LANKA: A complainant in a corruption case is at risk from threats from the police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information of threats and harassment made against a man by police officers since May 2008 in Sri Lanka. He would not pay money to them. He has been repeatedly arrested and falsely charged after he refused to give them any bribes. CASE DETAILS: Rajagopalan Manalan […]

BANGLADESH: Investigating officer of a rape case is colleague of the accused

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a police officer raped a woman on 7 October 2008 but due to tardy action by police authorities the officer was able to escape arrest. A colleague of the accused has been assigned as the investigating officer. CASE DETAILS: A man known as […]

SRI LANKA: New technique to impede investigation into cases of torture and false charges

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a father and his 14-year-old son were illegally arrested and taken to Kurunegala Police Station by officers on 11 July 2008. The officers did not produce them in court within the required statutory 24 hours. During nine days’ detention, the officers tortured the […]

PAKISTAN: Police inaction on attack and threats against a charitable clinic serving for poor

[NOTICE: The AHRC has developed this automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. However, in this appeal, we could not include e-mail addresses of some of the Pakistan authorities. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to them. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached below […]

PHILIPPINES: Soldiers allegedly threaten union leaders and workers to stop their activities

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern about the continuing threats to four union leaders, including a union president, and dozens of other workers. Others preferred not to divulge their names. The soldiers had deliberately warned them, one after another that they would suffer consequences if they not stop their […]

SRI LANKA: Police allegedly assault minor and fabricate charges

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Ambalantota police officers assaulted a minor and arbitrarily arrested and detained her and her sister in the custody on 1 September 2008. In the police station, the officers forced them to sign a document which was not explained and put their fingerprints to […]

SRI LANKA: Police allegedly torture a man and detain him for four months

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the illegal arrest and detention of a man in Kandy in May 2008 who was not produced before a court for four months. During detention the police tortured him to confess to being a terrorist. CASE DETAILS: (Based on the testimony of the victims […]

UPDATE (Bangladesh): Absence of fair trial in alleged false charge against Mr. Akash

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that Mr. Akash, a human rights defender as well as journalist, has been facing unfair trial in an allegedly false extortion charge against him in Rajshahi. During the court proceedings the prosecutor was seen assisting to the alleged complainant providing information on what […]

SRI LANKA: Grenade attack against lawyer appearing for human rights victims

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to bring to your attention a serious threat to the lawyers who practice their profession independently and particularly those who appear for victims of human rights abuses and in corruption cases in Sri Lanka by way of attacks, death threats and other forms of intimidation. On […]

UPDATE (Nepal): Torture victim Sumitra is transferred to Morang District Police Office

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wants to inform you that a torture victim Ms. Sumitra Khawas, who had remained detained at the Area Police Office (APO) of Belbari, has been transferred to the Morang District Police Office (DPO). UPDATED INFORMATION: According to the information we have received from Advocacy Forum-Nepal, on 22 […]