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News Alerts – India

India LGBTQ Community Want Guidelines for Media Reporting

August 22, 2013

The LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgenders, queer) community in the country is about to approach the state human rights commission to set up guidelines about reporting issues related to them. This has come about in the wake of a newspaper in a small town in the state writing a story that equated their lifestyle to sex trade.
In the week following the said article being published, gay right activists from all over the state had assembled in the town for a dialogue with the editor of the newspaper. The meeting was arranged in the local police headquarters. However, after making the activists wait for a considerable time, the editor slipped out saying he had some urgent work outside the city. Numerous letters to the newspaper and the owners of the media group were answered by means of a follow up article, which also did not help the cause.
“It is difficult for most gay people to ‘come out’. With such discriminatory articles, not only would they be discouraged from revealing themselves but the society would never have a positive opinion of our community,” said Sonal Giani, advocacy officer of Mumbai-based NGO Humsafar Trust, one of the first organizations to promote gay rights in the country. She was among the activists waiting in the police commissioner’s office for a meeting that never happened. The activists also staged a sit-in protest later.


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India offers another investigation to calm Kashmir

July 24, 2013

The Indian government has lifted a curfew and an Internet shutdown imposed to keep a lid on protests after Indian soldiers killed four unarmed civilians last week in the Ramban district of Kashmir. India has also promised to investigate the Ramban shootings in a familiar effort to calm tensions.

On Thursday, during a protest over the alleged desecration of the Quran by Indian Border Security Forces, the soldiers opened fire on civilian protesters, killing four people and injuring 48. The BSF claimed that there were “terrorists” within the crowd and that the soldiers had shot only in self-defense. As protests spread in response, the Indian government raised the compensation for the dead from $3,400 to $8,400, and assured a job to a kin of each of the slain.

India has maintained over half a million soldiers in the Himalayan region of Kashmir and grew a 100,000-strong local police force to deal with a popular rebellion that cropped up in 1990 against Indian rule. Military shootings of civilians like those in Ramban are familiar to Kashmiris – as are the Indian government’s subsequent probes. Kashmiris, however, have learned to put little stock in the exercises, since they are never followed with prosecutions.

“All Indian probes in Kashmir are farcical. They are an end in itself,” says Hameeda Nayeem, a professor of English at the University of Kashmir.

Three weeks ago, two young men from Bandipore in north Kashmir were shot dead by the Indian Army. The Army later said it was “a mistake” and a similar probe was ordered.

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Sikh Rights group to challenge dismissal of case against Punjab Chief Minister in US

May 22, 2013

A US-based Sikh group today said that it will challenge the decision of an American district court last week to dismiss alleged human rights violations case against Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
The Sikh for Justice (SFJ) had filed the case of alleged human rights violations against Mr Badal last year, but it was dismissed by a US district court in Wisconsin last Friday.
The group said it will appeal against the order in the US Court of Appeals asking for a remand to depose Mr Badal personally before a US Federal Judge on the issue of the service of summons

SFJ has retained the services of a top Chicago based law firm and famed Super Lawyers “Pavich Law Group” with Ian Levin, a former US federal judge, who have experience in cases related to human rights violations filed under Alien Tort Claims Act and Torture Victim Protection Act, the rights group said in a statement.

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AIHRA demand trial of Indian troops involved in HR abuses in IHK

May 22, 2013

The All India Human Rights Association (AIHRA) has demanded that the Indian troops and police personnel involved in human rights violations in occupied Kashmir should be punished.

The Association said that it would submit a memorandum to the Indian Home Ministry and other officials in New Delhi seeking prosecution against the troops and police personnel involved in human right abuses.

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UN Special Rapporteur alarmed by rights violations in Kashmir

May 14, 2013

The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, who was on an official visit to India from March 19 to 30 last year, has presented his findings in a report and proposed recommendations to ensure better protection of the right to life in India.

The Special Rapporteur, Christof Heyns, has expressed serious concern over the alarming level of extrajudicial executions in India.
The report specially mentions the excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators in Indian-control Kashmir, fake encounters by government forces, unmarked mass graves, and unbridled powers given to security forces in the region.


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India: Day 6 of Medha Patkar’s Fast. NHRC Issues Notice to Chief Secretary and DGP Maharashtra

April 10, 2013

NHRC Issues Notice to Chief Secretary and DGP Maharashtra

Protests Held In Hyderabad and Chennai in Support of Andolan

Women at the Forefront of the Struggle Against Buildershahi in Mumbai

Medha Patkar’s Health Deteriorates but Stable on 6th Day of Indefinite Fast

April 9, 2013, Mumbai : Responding to various complaints from across the country on the issue of demolitions and ongoing indefinite fast by Medha Patkar and Madhuri Shivkar, National Human Rights Commission issued notices to the Chief Secretary and DGP Maharashtra calling for their response on the issues within two weeks.

Today was the 6th day of Indefinite Fast by Medha Patkar at Golibar, Mumbai. Despite growing signs of weakness and deteriorating health like vomiting, body ache, back ache, she refused check up by Government doctors. Madhuri Shivkar, who joined her on April 6th, is normal and in good spirits. Anand Patwardhan, Film Maker; Chandrashekhar, Architect, Suniti S R, NAPM visited the site today and extended their solidarity to the Andolan. Justice (Retd) Rajender Sachar, also lent his support to the struggle and spoke to the Chief Minister’s Office and urged them to start the process of dialogue, for something which is extremely genuine. Many people from the basti are joining the relay fast every day. This is not the story of Golibar only; Slum dwellers from various slums in Mumbai are coming and joining the fast at Golibar.

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India: Srinagar on boil over youth’s death in CRPF firing

March 14, 2013

A 24-year-old youth was killed when CRPF personnel returning from the hospital after donating blood for their wounded colleagues in Wednesday morning’s fidayeen attack fired at a crowd of protesters in Saidpora area here, said the police.
Altaf Hussain died on spot as a crowd of protesters demanding the return of Afzal Guru’s body ran into the CRPF vehicle, the police said. When angry people began pelting stones, the CRPF personnel fired at the crowd which resulted in the death of Altaf Hussain, son of Abdul Ahad Wani of Saidpora. Doctors at SKIMS said the boy was brought dead with a bullet wound in the chest.
The youth’s death led to a fresh wave of protest with thousands of people from the old city taking to the streets with Altaf’s body. The anger of protesters led the National Conference to condemn the killing, with a senior party leader describing Altaf’s death as “murder without provocation” and demanded an inquiry.

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I love life, says Manipur’s Iron Lady Irom Sharmila in Delhi court

March 5, 2013

Irom Sharmila has not eaten a meal in 12 years. The 40-year-old has been on a hunger strike – and force fed through a tube by authorities – to protest against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
She was charged by a Delhi court today with attempted suicide. Appearing in court with her nose tube in place, she pleaded not guilty.
“I love life. I do not want to take my life, but I want justice and peace,” she said in court, which she attended after flying in from Manipur over the weekend.

Dubbed the “Iron Lady” by her supporters, Sharmila has become a rallying point for those demanding the repeal of AFSPA.  It gives troops in conflict areas the right to shoot to kill suspected rebels without fear of possible prosecution and to arrest suspected militants without a warrant. Women’s rights activists have said the law allows troops to rape women without fear of arrest or punishment.

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UN human rights chief backs Verma panel report

January 28, 2013

Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has backed the Verma Committee report saying that she strongly supported the fact that the report “eschews” death penalty and any lowering of the age of juvenile perpetrators.

“And that, instead, it recommends suitably heavy prison sentences ranging from seven years to life,” said Pillay in a statement.

“The Committee’s recommendations are grounded in a framework of rights, equality and non-discrimination, and represent a paradigm shift towards recognition of women as holders of rights, not just objects of protection,” she added.

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