Letter of Frontline to the President of India Regarding Assault on Human Rights Defender Hasina Kharbih<http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/taxonomy/term/1937>
President Pratibha Patil, Office of the President, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi 110 004, India. 4 June 2009 * * *Re: Harassment, assault and threats against human rights defender Ms Hasina Kharbhih* Your Excellency, Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that human rights defender, *Ms Hasina* *Kharbhih*, was assaulted and threatened while she was on her way to the District Council Court in Shillong Meghalaya, on 28 May 2009. Hasina Kharbhih is the team leader of Impulse NGO Network, a local human rights organisation based in Shillong that works to combat human trafficking in North East India. On 28 May 2009, Hasina Kharbhih and one of her colleagues were on their way to the District Council Court in Shillong, Meghalaya, for the hearing of a case concerning harassment and threats against her, when she was stopped, threatened and physically assaulted. Since there was a traffic block in place on the way to the court, Hasina Kharbhih had to get out of the vehicle she was travelling in and walk to the court. In front of the court, the accused in the case, Bethswa Dympep, who was accompanied by her mother and a man, stopped her and threatened her and her colleague, saying that if they continued with the case, Hasina Kharbhih would face terrible consequences, and that Impulse NGO Network would be shut down. When Hasina Kharbhih responded saying that the court would decide on such matters, Bethswa Dympep assaulted her. Bethswa Dympep's mother also verbally abused the human right defender. Hasina Kharbhih immediately reported the incident at Lumbiengri Police Station. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered and then, following the advice of the police, she was taken to the local hospital where she was treated for injuries sustained in the assault. Later that evening, Bethswa Dympep called a press conference at the Shillong Press Club where she accused Hasina Kharbhih of assaulting her. She also announced that she is backed by a national business group and that she will ensure the closure of Impulse NGO Network. Thus far, Bethswa Dympep has not been arrested for the assault on Hasina Kharbhih despite the fact that it was in direct violation of bail conditions previously set. Bethswa Dympep has been the subject of investigations by Impulse NGO Network since early 2008 for her involvement in the trafficking of young girls from Shillong to Goa for escort jobs. In June 2008, Hasina Kharbhih received the first of many threatening calls, demanding that her organisation stop investigating all cases involving Bethswa Dympep. A few days before the assault, Hasina Kharbhih's website was also hacked and the contents of the website were destroyed. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological security and integrity of Hasina Kharbhih, and believes that she is being targeted as a direct result of her work in defence of human rights, particularly her work to combat human trafficking from North East India to Goa. * * *Front Line urges the Indian authorities to:* 1. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the assault and threats against Hasina Kharbhih, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice; 2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological security of Hasina Kharbhih and all other members of Impulse NGO Network; 3. Ensure that all human rights defenders in India, carrying out their legitimate work in defence of human rights, are able to operation free of restrictions and reprisals. Front Line respectfully reminds you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals. We would particularly draw your attention to Article 10: “*No one shall participate, by act* *or by failure to act where required, in violating human rights and fundamental freedoms ...,*” and to Article 12 (2): “*The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threat, retaliation, de facto or *de jure *adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.*”** Yours sincerely, Mary Lawlor Director Frontline See: http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/taxonomy/term/1937 -- W A Laskar Freelance Reporter and Human Rights Activist with Barak Human Rights Protection Committee, http://bhrpc.net.googlepages.com 15, Panjabari Road, Darandha, Six Mile, Guwahati-781037, Assam, India Cell: +919401134314 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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