The Arab dictatorial regimes suppress criticism against anybody who dears to speak out against their authoritarian rule or uses his right of freedom of speech. In Saudi Arabia Raif Badawi and Waleed Abu al-Khair have been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. In the Saudi dungeons hundreds of prisons are left to rot. Over 90…
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has directed the police to probe into allegations of corruption relating to appointment to the post of pump operators in the Kerala Water Authority (KWA). The directive was issued by Commission member (Judicial) R. Natarajan on the basis of a complaint submitted by C.V. Rajan of Nooranad. In his…
After paying a visit to the families of victims at Chettari hills in Dharmapuri, a fact finding committee of human rights forum has refuted the encounter theory of AP police and said the victims were brutally murdered by the Special Task Force (STF) inside the Seshachalam forest last Tuesday. The team headed by V S…
As for action against the BMC officials, the commission has said it would first like to wait for the BMC and the police report, which are due on April 23. Investigation of the case has been commenced by Trombay police. Taking suo motu cognisance of the gruesome Mankhurd incident in which a woman died after…
Kicking off the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Doha, Qatar, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon along with several other top UN officials on Sunday spotlighted the critical connection between rule of law and sustainable development. “All societies need fair criminal justice systems, effective, accountable institutions, and access to justice for all,”…
National Human Rights Commission expressed concern over delay in the setting up of Tribunal to settle claims of victims of endosulfan and asked Government of Kerala to expedite it. “It has given eight weeks time to the State Government through its Chief Secretary to respond with a report about the progress on the issue along…
The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports that the Telangana police shot dead five undertrials while they were being taken to Hyderabad in connection with a court case on Tuesday. The Commission, which is currently holding a camp sitting here, issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General…
In reaction to the MHA move to suspend Greenpeace’s registration for alleged “anti-development” activities, a cross section of NGO representatives The Hindu spoke to said that civil society was being actively muzzled by the NDA government. Pointing out that it would be misleading to label Greenpeace as a “foreign-funded organisation”, Samit Aich, its executive director…
Liberty of thought and expression is a cardinal value that is of paramount significance under India’s constitutional scheme. The preamble of the Constitution of India inter alia speaks of liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. Article 19(1)(a) of part 3 on Fundamental Rights of the constitution provides right to freedom of speech and…
This statement was originally published on pen-international.org on 27 March 2015. By Evan Rankin and Amy Tang The Supreme Court of India’s landmark decision on Tuesday [24 March 2015] signals a move towards greater protection of free expression in the world’s largest democracy. But there is still much to do. India’s highest court struck down…