Torture and other forms of Human Rights Violations in India
India Human Rights Report 2009
May 2009
The Annual Report covers human rights violations in 27 States of India during 2008. In its editorial ACHR focuses on the increased human rights violations in the Naxal conflict. ACHR calls for a Parliamentary debate over the security response to the Naxalite movement, review of all the laws/Acts that provide for prior permission of the government to prosecute the government officials/security personnel to ensure that no prior permission shall be required for corruption and human rights violations; placing of the draft Prevention of Torture Bill 2008 after necessary modifications in consultation with the stakeholders for adoption by the parliament; and ratification of the CAT.
Nepal in Crisis
1 May 2009
In this briefing paper, the ACHR urges international community, in particular, the government of India to play a more proactive role to break the impasse in Nepal and restore confidence in the fragile peace which is being threatened because of the existence of two armies – Nepal Army and the Peoples Liberation Army. Failure is likely to lead, at worst, to prolonged multiple conflicts or at best growing anarchy and criminality across Nepal. Both are guaranteed to spill over into India. India does not need a large ungovernable safe haven for its own insurgents.
ACHR in the parliament
ACHR's first ever nation-wide assessment of the use of torture reported in Torture in India 2008: A State of Denial continues to create public debate in India. Questions specifically relating to the report were raised both in the Lok Sabha on 23 December 2008 (Question No. 3542) and in Rajya Sabha (Question No. 565 and Question No. 568) on 22 October 2008 wherein the India's Minister of Home Affairs provided answers to the questions.
BIMSTEC urged to reject Myanmar as chair
13 November 2008 Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) today urged the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to reject Myanmar as Chair from 2009. The BIMSTEC consisting of India, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar is holding its 11th Summit today in New Delhi.
Philippines: The impact of exclusion on the Moro peace process
30 October 2008
The crux of the collapse of the peace process in Mindanao is the non-inclusion of indigenous Lumad people. The non-inclusion is not only a flaw in the peace process but constitutes a clear violation of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997.
Kandhamal Massacres in Orissa
September 2008The killing of over 50 Christians in Kandhamal district of Orissa since August 25th remains the single largest attack on any regilious group in the world in 2008. The sparodic attacks continue. The response of the State and the National Human Rights Commission has been deplorable.
Where is the State? 29 August 2008
Where is the NHRC? 3 September 2008
South Asia Human Rights Index 2008
1 August 2008According to South Asia Human Rights Index 2008, Sri Lanka (with 52 points) is the worst human rights violator in South Asia followed by Bangladesh (45), Bhutan (43), Pakistan (41), Maldives (23), Nepal (24) and India (24). Afghanistan has not been included for indexing purpose as the Afghan Government has no control over the international security forces to establish accountability - a necessary condition for indexing. Read more
Torture in India 2008: A State of Denial
25 June 2008
The first ever nation-wide assessment of the use of torture in India reports the death of four person every day in police and judicial custody. As The Tribune rightly noted in its editiorial, it is a blot on the criminal justice system of India.
Death in custody: A blot on the criminal justice system, The Tribune, 30 June 2008
UPR and Asia
The United Nations Human Rights Council has started the Universal Periodic Review in April 2008. Asian Centre for Human Rights has been making stakeholders' submission on a number of countries as given below.