Author page: SAHR

SAHR expresses concern over the coup in the Maldives

South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) expresses its concern over recent developments in Maldives, which have seen former President Nasheed step down, in what he and others have described as a coup.

Reports suggest that Mr Nasheed’s resignation follow violent protests that appear to be triggered by the arrest of a senior judge Abdulla Mohamed as well as the resignation of Maldivian SAARC Secretary General, Dhiyana Saeed.

It was also reported that some members of the opposition may have instigated the coup that forced Mr Nasheed’s departure from office.

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India soldiers suspended over torture

Eight paramilitary soldiers from India’s Border Security Force (BSF) have been suspended after they were filmed assaulting a man, officials say.

The incident, which took place on the border with Bangladesh in West Bengal state, has caused an uproar.

A video, shot on mobile phone and shown by some TV channels, shows the soldiers stripping and assaulting a suspected cattle smuggler in Murshidabad.

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Human Rights Organizations UN Submission Challenges India

FREMONT,  CA –  In partnership with REDRESS, the Human rights advocate group Ensaaf, submitted a report to UN’s Universal Periodic Review on mass 
cremations, 
enforced 
disappearances 
and 
extrajudicial
 killings
 carried
 out
 in
 Punjab, India
 during
 the
 1980s
 and
 1990s.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a process, under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. India’s first review was conducted in 2008. During that review, States encouraged India to ratify the UN Convention
 on
 Enforced
 or
 Involuntary
 Disappearances
 and
 the
 UN Convention
 against
 Torture
 and
 Other
 Cruel,
 Inhuman
 or
 Degrading
 Treatment
 or
 Punishment.

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SAHR worried over secret killings

South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) yesterday condemned and expressed its deep concern on the rise of incidents of enforced disappearances and secret killings in the country.

In a press statement SAHR said enforced disappearance and subsequent killings of the victims is the worst form of violation of human rights.

The international rights body termed it frustrating that the government fails to give acceptable explanations when witnesses and victims’ family members pointed their fingers at the law enforcement agencies.

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AHRC urges India to withdraw AFSPA from IHK

SRINAGAR, (SANA): The Hong Kong-based human rights organisation, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), has urged India to withdraw draconian law, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from occupied Kashmir.

The Asia Human Rights Commission in its statement said that the alarming number of human rights abuses committed by the Indian army under AFSPA was depressing proof to the draconian nature of this law.

“Many lives lost already…to this the Act underscores the non-compatibility of this law to the notion of democracy,” the statement added.

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The Scandal of India’s Human Rights

Activists are too often killed, ‘disappeared’ or intimidated

India scarcely has a human rights record it can be proud of. Killings of human rights activists, intimidation and `disappearance’ of those who question the state’s ways, widespread use of torture by law enforcement agencies and the Parliament’s continued inability to enact enabling legislation to prevent human rights violations, underscore a disregard for basic humanitarian laws.
The recently-released Asian Center for Human Rights Report, ‘Torture in India 2011’ further reinforces this reality. The report states that between 2001 and 2010, 14,231 persons – or more than four persons per day — died in police and judicial custody in India. This includes 1,504 deaths in police custody and 12,727 deaths in judicial custody. The northern state of Uttar Pradesh leads the tally in judicial custody with 2,171 deaths, followed by Bihar (1,512), Maharashtra (1,176), Andhra Pradesh (1,037) and Tamil Nadu (744).

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India: ‘Rotten’ justice system in J&K big blow for juveniles

Despite amnesty for juveniles, more children are being tried and lodged with adults inside jails

Iftikhar Gilani
New Delhi

Despite official claims that no juvenile was under police custody in Jammu and Kashmir after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah declared amnesty for them two months ago, a human rights group has come out with a partial list of 51 children being tried in various courts.

In a fact-finding report based on the visit of its members to eight districts, the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) fears that many more juveniles are being tried and lodged with adults inside J&K jails.

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Former SAHR Co-Chair, Asma Jahangir, receives Human Rights award

US body gives HR Award to Asma Jehangir

NEW YORK: United Nations Association of USA (UNA-USA) Leo Nevas Human Rights Task Force awarded Dr Asma Jahangir with 2011 Leo Nevas Human Rights Award.
Asma, former UN Special Rapporteur and prominent human rights lawyer, spoke to a large audience Wednesday about challenges she faced as an international monitor on human rights and as an activist promoting domestic reforms and rule of law in Pakistan.

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