India must keep rights promises: Human Rights Watch

HRW says India has to tackle nationwide culture of impunity protecting troops, police and officials from prosecution.


Afp June 06, 2011

NEW DELHI: Human Rights Watch on Monday urged India to live up to its legal and moral commitments after becoming a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The New York-based lobby group said India must repeal special security laws in Indian Kashmir.

It also said the country had to tackle a nationwide culture of impunity that protects troops, police and public officials from prosecution, as well as improve rights for women and children.

India was one of 15 new members elected last month to the United Nations Human Rights Council, which is made up of 47 countries.

HRW said Indian laws prevent justice being done after "arbitrary arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings by the police, paramilitary, and the army."

"India has made significant promises outlining its human rights record and commitments," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at HRW. "Now it's time for India to keep those promises."

The group also called for "archaic" sedition laws to be scrapped, saying they were used to silence dissent and restrict freedom of expression.

COMMENTS (14)

DumbGuy | 12 years ago | Reply To all Pakistanis: Could you try one simple experiment: For an entire week avoid using name of any religion on the comments being posted on the ET and other sites, stop watching any TV shows that use the name of religion. Check many times you can see the name of any religion on Indian/USA/UK TV channels? Check many times you can see the name of any religion on Pakistan TV channels? Ask your self a question? Does Islam need you or Do you need Islam? Buy the end of this experiment, you can conclude if there is any hope for land of pure.
DumbGuy | 12 years ago | Reply UN recently added the internet access as human right. So from now on the poor nations that are struggling make the ends meet can be called as human right violators because they are not offering the internet :) :) It seems like poor nations are the ones that have more human right abuses. I mean, the human right abuses decrease as the nations become rich. Btw, why there are no industries or business in Kashmir (both in Pakistan and India)?
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