National Campaign for Prevention of Torture

ACHR's Action on International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2009


In this publications, ACHR shares experiences of its action which led to the award Rs 50.3 lakhs compensation, punishment and censure for 35 law enforcement personnel and orders of the Honourable Delhi High Court in favour of ACHR pertaining to the cases filed against the NHRC.

Press Release: NHRC not complying with Delhi High Court orders

National Conference on the Prevention of Torture Bill 2008
India International Centre, New Delhi
24-25 June 2009

  • Agenda (to be uploaded on 25th June)
  • Prevention of Torture Bill 2008 (to be uploaded on 25th June)
  • Recommendations of the National Conference (to be uploaded on 25th June)
  • Report: Torture in India 2009, 25 June 2009

    Torture in India 2009 focuses on deaths in police custody in the last eight years i.e. from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2009. This is the most comprehensive study on the use of torture by the police that highlights the failure of the Guidelines of the NHRC on Custodial Deaths/Custodial Rapes and the Supreme Court's judgement in the case of D K Basu Vs State of West Bengal.

    Press Release: Police torture kills 1,184 persons in custody in India in the last eight years

    ACHR IN MEDIA

  • The National, UAE
    State chief’s monument to herself, 29 June 2009
  • The Statesman, India
    No let-up in custodial deaths despite NHRC intervention, 28 June 2009
  • South Asian News Agency, Pakistan
    AFSPA main cause of rights abuses
  • The Shillong Times, India
    M’laya records 2nd highest custodial deaths in N-E, 26 June 2009
  • The Times of India
    1,184 killed in police custody in India since 2001, says report, 25 June 2009
  • The Hindu, India
    1,184 killed in police custody in India since 2001: Report, 25 June 2009
  • The Seninel, India
    74 custodial deaths in Asom in last 8 years, 25 June 2009
  • Sindh Today
    1,184 killed in police custody in India since 2001, says report, 25 June 2009
  • Daily News and Analysis, India
    1,184 killed in police custody in India since 2001: Report, 25 June 2009
  • Irish Times, Ireland
    Indian forces sent into Bengal to combat insurgency, 19 June 2009
  • Zeenews, India
    Tripura youth torture case: NHRC seeks report from Defence min, 18 June 2009
  • IANS, India
    India has failed to implement human trafficking laws: activists, 17 June 2009
  • The Asian Age, India
    Crimes against Dalits on the Rise across country, 3 June 2009
  • The Times of India
    Rights watchdogs worried over Manipur killings, 2 June 2009
  • The Pioneer, India
    Dalit supressed under Maya rule? 1 June 2009
  • Press Trust of India
    Police set-up need to be overhauled to fight naxalism: Experts, 1 June 2009
  • The Morung Express, India
    ACHR concerned over human rights violation in NE, 1 June 2009
  • The Telegraph, India
    Dalit cases up under Maya rule, 31 May 2009
  • The Dawn, Pakistan
    Rights abuses fuel Maoist insurgency in India: report, 30 May 2009
  • The Week, India
    Jails are driving people to insanity and death, 30 May 2009
  • The New York Times, USA
    India: Report Alleges Atrocities by a State’s Police, 29 May 2009
  • Reuters, India
    India rights abuses stoke Maoist insurgency - report, 29 May 2009
  • Bloomberg, USA
    Maoist Conflict Is India’s Most Violent, Rights Group Says, 29 May 2009
  • Sindh Today
    Maoist insurgency more bloody than Kashmir, northeast: report, 29 May 2009
  • The Telegraph, UK
    China v India: where would you rather be arrested? 12 May 2009
  • The Los Angeles Times, USA
    17 killed as India's elections get underway, 17 April 2009
  • The Times of India
    Civil society unhappy with manifestos, 10 April 2009
  • The Times of India
    There’s no excuse for use of torture, 11 January 2009
  • South Asian Media Net
    588 custodial deaths reported in 4 years, 24 December 2008
  • Haber27.com, Turkey
    Bangladesh emergency laws lifted, 17 December 2008
  • The Indian Express, India
    Armed groups to blame for most violations: report, 17 December 2008
  • ...More

    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.

    Press Release: India Human Rights Report 2009, 29 May 2009

    Courtesy: http://www.mikeldunham.blogs.com/

    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 2008
    The 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 2008
    According 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

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