Amnesty International India on Tuesday has called on the Indian government to immediately put an end to the excessive use of force deployed in response to peaceful protests in the country that have resulted in the death of at least two people and many suffering injuries since last Friday.
The rights organization has also called for the immediate and unconditional release of those arbitrarily arrested solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Thousands of people protested across the country, including Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir and Telangana, demanding the arrest of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, for making statements deemed insulting of Prophet Mohammed.
In the press release, Aakar Patel, chair of Amnesty International India Board said, “The Centre is selectively and viciously cracking down on Muslims who dare to speak up and peacefully express their dissent against the discrimination faced by them.”
“Cracking down on protesters with excessive use of force, arbitrary detention and punitive house demolitions by Indian authorities is in complete violation of India’s commitments under international human rights law and standards,” Patel said.
The rights body highlighted the incident on 10 June, where according to media, the police personnel are seen opening fire against the protesters in Ranchi, Jharkhand. Two people including a 15-year-old child were killed after being fatally shot in the head during police action.
It also cited the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which says that police may only use force for a legitimate law enforcement purpose and may not use more force than needed to achieve this objective. The police may use firearms only as a last resort and the intentional lethal use of firearms is only permissible if strictly unavoidable in order to protect life.
In another video which has gone viral on social media, a police officer is repeatedly hitting detained male protesters with batons in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. However, instead of criticizing the use of force, it was celebrated by former police officers and members of the ruling party on social media.
“Baton strikes while a subject is under control are unnecessary and disproportionate, and amount to using batons punitively – which amounts to torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, a violation of international law,” the release said.
Amnesty International’s statement comes against the backdrop of widespread protests across the country in response to derogatory comments made against Prophet Mohammad by the now-suspended BJP.
The release further said that presenting and treating all protesters, including peaceful ones, as a threat to public order is “deeply worrying and is part of an alarming escalation of the states’ measures targeting Muslims.”
“Unfortunately, the Prime Minister and various state chief ministers have done little to show that they disapprove of any statement portraying Muslims as a risk for public order or embedding other stereotypes and prejudices that may contribute to justifying discrimination and violence against Muslims. They should publicly show their opposition to any such statement,” Aakar Patel said in the release.
Giving a continuous blow to human rights, the authorities instead, carried out the unlawful and arbitrary demolition of houses belonging to Muslims suspected of being “key conspirators” of the violence that erupted during the protests in Prayagraj.
“On 10 June, activist Javed Mohammed, his wife and younger daughter were detained along with many others by the police. On 11 June, a backdated notice was posted on the wall of the family’s house at 11 pm on the night before the planned demolition.”
“While the authorities cited illegal construction as the reason for demolition,” the release noted that the notice was issued in the name of Javed Mohammed who did not even own the demolished property. “On 12 June, the authorities demolished the two-storey house amounting to a punitive measure and a violation of the right to adequate housing.”
Amnesty International has described the demolition of Mohammed’s home, as “A complete departure from due process of law, these demolitions stand in absolute violation of the right to adequate housing as enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which India is a state party.”
“It has been done to inflict punishment on the community for raising their voices against injustice,” it added.
“The State’s response to current protests is not only deplorable but also marks the latest escalation in the suppression of dissent. The Indian authorities must carry out a prompt, thorough, effective, impartial and independent investigation into all the human rights violations allegedly committed by law enforcement officials and other public officials against protesters and human rights defenders. Law enforcement officials who used the force excessively should be charged, whenever there is enough evidence. Victims should also have access to reparations including compensation,” Aakar Patel said concluding the release.
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Rabia Shireen is a Staff Reporter at The Cognate.
