Victims assistance & protection

SRI LANKA: One month after the attempted arson on the HRC premises no criminal action taken against any person

The issue of attempted arson to one of the buildings of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka came to be discussed at the 35th Session of the UN Committee against Torture (the Committee) during 10 and 11 of November 2005, in Geneva, Switzerland.  The Sri Lankan Government Delegation (the Delegation) stated to the […]

SRI LANKA: Serious concerns over the lack of an effective official investigation into the attempted arson of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka’s headquarters in Colombo

The Asian Human Rights Commission’s (AHRC) inquiries reveal that no progress has thus far been made by officials investigating the attempted arson of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka headquarters on October 12, 2005. Eight days have now passed and immediate and effective action is required as a matter of urgency. AHRC has […]

INDIA: The role of a human rights commission is not to demoralise human rights defenders

Statement | India | 14-04-2005

On April 11, staff of the West Bengal-based human rights group Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (Masum) went by appointment to raise their concerns over attacks on Gopen Sharma, a local human rights defender, before the West Bengal Human Rights Commission. Gopen Sharma, who was present with one of his children, is being pursued by the […]

NEPAL: A 16-year-old girl was gang-raped by army soldiers from the Eastern Pritana Headquarter, Itahari

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from local human rights groups that a 16-year-old girl (name withheld) was gang-raped by five army soldiers from Eastern Pritana headquarter, Itahari on 10 November 2004. It is also reported that after being raped, the girl was threatened by the army soldiers with their […]

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 […]

PHILIPPINES: Torture of a 17-year-old boy falsely accused of being a member of a kidnap-for-ransom group

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding an appeal concerning the torture of a 17-year-old boy, who was falsely accused by soldiers and policemen of being a member of a kidnap-for-ransom group, in Basilan, Mindanao. He is presently detained together with adult offenders in a jail where he was remanded. Asraf Jamiri […]