NNWN/United Nations, 2017-06-18

Refuting the claims of Chinese NGO, India has rebuffed the claims made by a Chinese NGO at the United Nations alleging that the country has a long record of prosecution of human rights defenders.

The  Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) in its submission to the Universal Periodic review and  attacked Indian judiciary) in May .The NGO allegation was that “like judiciary, prosecutors are deeply corrupt and demand bribes for opposing or not opposing bail applications, to undertake trial and to present evidence in the court.” It also alleged widespread use of torture by the Indian authorities.

Perturbed by the charges, the Indian authorities are preparing to send a detailed response. Some other NGOs raised the issues related to securities of religious minorities, Ghar Wapsi, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, enforced disappearance, extra-judicial killings and arbitrary arrests and torture.The UPR is a process to review human rights records of member-states. Some foreign-funded NGOs such as Amnesty International gave a different shade to India’s undertrials alleging that two-thirds of the country’s prison population awaiting trials are Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims. World Evangelical Alliance made allegations against persecution of minorities, claiming worsening situation of freedom of religion.

An Indian NGO noted the grave insecurities of religious minorities from anti-conversion laws and harsher beef ban law enacted after 2014. Some others alleged targeted violence against Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. An umbrella of 12 NGOs has targeted Indian security forces at the United Nations. It alleged about rape and sexual assault complaints against security forces.