Victims assistance & protection

PHILIPPINES: Torture of a 17-year-old boy at the Women and Children Desk at a police station

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that a 17-year-old boy was tortured on December 11, 2010 in the custody of the police. The victim, who revealed to his parents his ordeal only on February 26, 2011 due to trauma, was tortured at a police quarter and inside the Women […]

THAILAND: Verdict on Somchai’s case–his wife, daughter could not be plaintiffs; not enough evidence to convict accused

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets, but is not surprised, that the five defendants who were earlier convicted for theft and illegal detention, in connection with the disappearance of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit, have all been exonerated in an Appeal verdict. The court ruled to acquit all the defendants on […]

THAILAND: Court to read verdict on Somchai’s case on the eve of his disappearance seven years ago–observers requested

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is calling for court observers to hear the reading of the verdict on the case of Somchai Neelaphaijit tomorrow, March 11, 2011, in Bangkok. The date of the reading of the verdict is significant as it marks the eve of Somchai’s disappearance seven years ago. The reading, […]

THAILAND: Call for observers in the hearing of missing person case of Pol. Maj. Ngern Thongsuk

Dear friends, Further to our previous appeal, the reading of verdict on the case of Somchai Neelaphaijit was again postponed. The court issued an arrest warrant, as required by the criminal procedure, to compel one the five defendants to appear in court to hear the verdict. But at the same time a petition to declare […]

THAILAND: Threats to family follow continued denial of justice in Somchai Neelaphaijit case

Dear friends, The thwarting of justice continues in the case of disappeared human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit. Having postponed reading of the verdict in the appeal case concerning the conviction of one policeman from last year, the criminal court has again ordered a further postponement on technical grounds. Meanwhile, the family of the victim is […]

SRI LANKA: Kolonna police tortured a man and removed him from hospital against the doctor’s advice

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man, Mr. Karasinghe Arachchilage Kumarasinghe Appuhami (55) was illegally arrested and detained by the Kolonna police. While he was in police custody he was tortured and as a result he was injured about the head and started to vomit. He was brought […]

ASIA: Christmas and New Year Wishes from the Asian Human Rights Commission

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year. In all countries of Asia, this Christmas and new year will be celebrated in very difficult conditions. We extend our wishes to all families who are struggling in the midst of these difficulties to fight for their rights. We particularly […]

PHILIPPINES: Release of financial assistance to torture victim recommended

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the regional office of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Cotabato City, has recommended the release of “immediate financial assistance” to a torture victim whose complaint of torture they had investigated. The CHR investigators also affirmed the accounts of torture the victim […]

PAKISTAN: A woman was gang raped and kept for 50 days in a private detention center of police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a woman, who received a stay order from court over a dispute on ownership of her house, was picked up by policemen and their informers and taken to a private detention centre where she was gang raped for more than 50 days. The […]

SRI LANKA: A man was illegally arrested, detained, tortured and refused medical treatment by the Ahangama Police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police officers attached to the Ahangama Police Station have illegally arrested, detained and tortured a civilian. Later the police refused to provide necessary urgent medical treatment. After the victim sought justice by filling a fundamental rights application at the Human Rights Commission he […]

PHILIPPINES: Human rights defender speaks about the threat on his life in an interview

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) would like to share with you the interview it has conducted with Bernardino Patigas, one of the two human rights defenders whom we earlier reported to have been receiving threats on his life. In this interview, Patigas explained the nature of his human rights work which he […]

SRI LANKA: Ganemulla police illegally arrested, detained, tortured and filed fabricated charges against a civilian

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police officers attached to the Ganemulla Police Station have illegally arrested, detained and tortured a civilian. Later the police filed fabricated charges against him. After the victim sought justice by filling a fundamental rights application he was further threaten.  CASE NARRATIVE:  Balapu Waduge […]

HONG KONG/PHILIPPINES: Concerns, questions at hostage takings tragic end

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to express its deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the eight Hong Kong nationals who were killed in a 11-hour hostage crisis in Manila yesterday. Our thoughts also go out to those who were wounded and their families. It is regrettable that the victims who were […]

SRI LANKA: Legal Profession and the Protection of Individual Liberties

Basil Fernando A few decades ago, Bunty De Soysa was one of Sri Lanka’s leading criminal lawyers; at one point, he was also president of the country’s Bar Association. In one case, he represented a group of young leftist radicals in court who were charged with offences relating to their political activities. During the course […]

PAKISTAN: Urgent protection needed for the suvivors of love marriage-related murders; police refuse to investigate

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission has learned that authorities in North West Frontier province have taken no action to arrange urgently-needed protection for a man, his sister-in-law and her young son; all are in immediate danger of being murdered as a response to a love marriage, and three murders have already taken place. […]

INDONESIA: AHRC denounces the lack of effective witness and victim protection

(Hong Kong, February 18, 2010) “Since the Witness and Victim Protection Law was enacted in 2006, little progress has been made regarding witness and victim protection because of a lack of political will”, says an analyst from the Hong Kong based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (Lembaga Perlindungan Saksi […]

UPDATE (Philippines): Four years after his murder a widow is still waiting for the investigation report of her activist husband’s death

Dear Friends,   The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep regrets with regard to the lack of substantial progress in the investigation of the murder of an activist we reported to have been killed on November 28, 2005. His wife has yet to obtain a copy of the official reinvestigation report into his […]

UPDATE (Sri Lanka/Saudi Arabia): President Obama urged to take up the case of a young girl facing the death penalty during his visit to Riyadh

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is concerned to report that a Sri Lankan girl charged with the death of a baby in her care still faces the death penalty in a Saudi prison, despite strong flaws in her case and her pardoning by one of the baby’s parents. Rizana Nafeek has now […]

INDONESIA: Police violence and arrest of protesters and denial of their legal representatives

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Mobile Brigadier (Brimob) Unit of Central Java Regional Police attacked Sukolilo villagers in Kedomulyo, Pati, Central Java with disproportional and indiscriminate use of force in order to disperse a protest demonstration on January 22, 2009. The attacks injured several villagers and damaged […]

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 […]