Torture

REPUBLIC OF KOREA: Torture and inhuman treatment of prisoners must end immediately

REPUBLIC OF KOREA: Torture and inhuman treatment of prisoners  must end immediately Prisoner kept in handcuffs and in a straitjacket for 466 days  in violation of ROK’s international obligations 27 June 2003 AS-22-2003 A Statement By the Asian Human Rights Commission – AHRC The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that JEONG Phil-ho has […]

BURMA: Police officer tortures farmer

Dear Friends The Mon Forum has reported that a police officer in Mon State, Burma (Myanmar), severely tortured a local farmer alleged to have not given his compulsory quota of paddy to the authorities. When the case became known in the community, Buddhist monks held police and military officials to account. The police held a […]

BURMA: Torture, military dictatorship, political accountability

Dear Friends You may have heard that the situation in Burma has worsened dramatically. Thugs organised by the military dictatorship have attacked the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung Sang Suu Kyi, along with members and supporters of the National League for Democracy (NLD). Daw Aung Sang Suu Kyi is back under the custody, while […]

NEPAL: Torture: Ramesh SHARMA

Dear Friends Below is an urgent appeal we are forwarding from INSEC on behalf of Mr Ramesh SHARMA and others being subjected to extreme torture in Nepal, and we would welcome your action on their behalf. Please write/fax/email the Nepalese authorities, using the information supplied below, and urge them to take action now. Thank you. […]

Nepal: Case of Torture by the military — Asian Human Rights Commission

Dear Friends AHRC is informed of a severe case of torture by the military in Nepal. Besides, recently many other torture cases are reported from Nepal. Your urgent action is required and we firmly believe that all efforts should be made urgently for impartial investigation of the allegations, medical treatment, and safety to the victims, […]

MALAYSIA: Death and Torture in Custody

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received a report on the continuous incidences of unlawful, ruthless and brutal assaults and deaths in Police lock-ups in Malaysia. A report by the Police Watch and Human Rights Committee reveals the alarming figure of 2.2 people being killed or dying in Police lock-ups/detention centres every month. Most likely […]

NEPAL: Mr Keshav Timilsina: Torture and Incommunicado Detention

Dear Friends The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation of torture and incommunicado detention in Nepal. Thank you. Urgent Appeals Desk Asian Human Rights Commission ——————————————————————— NEPAL: OMCT Case NPL 160503 Arbitrary detention/Torture/Incommunicado detention Brief description of the situation: The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a […]

SRI LANKA – Severe Torture and Illegal Arrest by Biyagama police

Severe Torture and Illegal Arrest- Chandana Kumar and Ajith Shatha by Biyagama police Victims Hetti Kankanamalage Chandana Jagath Kumar (23 years old) and Ajith Shantha Kumana Peli (32 years old) Date-13th May, 2003 Perpetrators: A Group of Police Officers from Biyagama Police A group of drunken policemen attacked two victims, one of whom was Hetti Kankanamalage Chandana […]

SRI LANKA: A Law To Encourage And Reward Torture – A Comment On The Bill On Organized Crime

——————–The justice system of Sri Lanka: What a damn mess—————— A Bill entitled Prevention of Organized Crime was gazetted on 24 January 2003. There was hardly any publicity to the Bill and thus there was no public debate on the matter. The speaker presented it to the Supreme Court for opinion on constitutionality and two […]

UPDATE (SRI LANKA): Michael Anthony Fernando (Tony)

Dear Friends, Over 2,800 persons have signed the online petition to the President and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka urging immediate action to be taken to undo the blatant injustice suffered by Michael Anthony Fernando. The Asian Legal Resource Centre made an oral submission at the 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Commission on the […]

SRI LANKA: Torture and Illegal Detention; Police Hit Man with Iron Bars

SRI LANKA: Torture and Illegal Detention; Police Hit Man with Iron Bars ——————————————————————- NAME of the Victim: K.T.Kumarasinghe, alias Sunil. ADDRESS: No. 140, Kadanhena, Gallalla. AGE: 33 years old. OCCUPATION: Sri Lankan Army. DATE ARRESTED: 01/04/2003 at the above address at 20.40 hours. ALLEGED REASON FOR THE ARREST: Theft. OFFICERS WHO ARRESTED: S.I.-C.I.B. Police Station. […]

SRI LANKA: Highest compensation to date awarded Sri Lanka torture victim

HONG KONG, Friday, April 4, 2003: The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka today awarded a torture victim a record amount in compensation. In the case of Gerald Perera, who was tortured by a group of police of the Wattala station on June 3, 2002, the Court awarded 800,000 Rupees cash, and full medical costs. Mr […]

UPDATE(Sri Lanka): Please Sign the Online Petition to support Michael Anthoney Emmanuel Fernando (Tony)

Dear Friends, A local solidarity group for Mr. Michael Anthony Emmanuel Fernando (aka Tony) in Sri Lanka has launched a petition for release of him. AHRC has launched a petition on behalf of Tony on 21 March 2003. When you sign this petition on line, your name will be added to the list of signatories […]

UPDATE (SRI LANKA): Denial of fundamental rights; Need your action to save Mr. Fernando

Dear Friends, We reproduce below a letter written by the Asian Human Rights Commission at the request of the parents of Mr. Michael Anthony Fernando, to the Sri Lankan authorities. We urge you again to write similar letters may help to save the life of a person facing a very complicated situation, due to several […]

UPDATE (SRI LANKA): Reproduction of a fundamental rights application and an open letter in the torture case of Mr. Fernando

Regarding our previous appeal on the torture case of human rights defender, Mr. Michael Anthony Emmanuel Fernando, who was an applicant in a case of fundamental rights.(Ref: S.C. [F/F] No. 55/20030), he was sentenced to one years imprisonment on Feb. 6, 2003, for alleged contempt of court. He was then severely assaulted while in custody […]

UPDATE (SRI LANKA): Newspaper report on the torture case of Anthony Michael Emmanuel Fernando

Dear Friends, We are sending you the following translation of a newspaper report on the torture case of Mr. Anthony Michael Emmanuel Fernando (see more details at http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2003/408/) that occurred from the hospital to Ananda Dharmapriya Jayasekara. The story was published in Ravaya, a Sinhalese newspaper, on Feb. 23, 2003. We urge you to take […]

SRI LANKA: A human rights defender denied of fundamental right to a fair hearing and tortured

SUMMARY While presenting his petition before the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, Mr. Anthony Michael Fernando was convicted and imprisoned under contempt of court. His fundamental right to a fair trial was violated as one of the respondents to Mr. Fernando’s claim sat in judgment on him, thereby undermining international norms of judicial objectivity. Furthermore, […]

SRI LANKA: Two separate torture cases of two young boys aged 15 and 17 by the police

SRI LANKA: Widespread practice of torture; cruel and inhumane treatment and torture by the police ——————————————————————– – Name of the victims: Anuruddha Kusum Kumara (15) and Bambarende Gamage Suraj Prasanna (17) – Perpetrators: Officers of Wellawa police station and Matugama police station CASES DETAILS Case 1: Cruel and inhumane treatment to a 15-year-old student Anuruddha […]

TORTURE AND CYANIDE: A RESPONSE TO : IS TORTURE EVER JUSTIFIED

TORTURE AND CYANIDE: A RESPONSE TO “IS TORTURE EVER JUSTIFIED” — Basil Fernando, AHRC Note: The following letter, dated 14 January 2003, was written to the Economist magazine in reply to its January 11 cover story, “Is torture ever justified?” The opinion column from that edition is currently available online at http://economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=1524784. ——————– Dear Sir/Madam […]

SRI LANKA: Serious injuries caused to a 40-year-old man due to assault by police using a T-56 firearm

SRI LANKA: Widespread practice of torture; another case of brutal assault by the police ——————————————————————– SUMMARY Subasinghe Aarachchilage Nihal Subasinghe (40), suffered serious injuries after been assaulted with a T-56 gun by police officers and was hospitalized. The allegation against Subasinghe is that he has stolen some firewood. In November 200,2 AHRC issued an urgent […]