Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Law and Justice
Shri Jual Oram, Minister of Tribal Affairs
Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
Shri Srinivasa Kammath, National Focal Point – Human Rights Defenders & Deputy Registrar, National Human Rights Commission
Brussels, 7 February 2019
Ministers,
India is the largest democracy in the world, and an important strategic partner of the European Union, whereas the relationship between the two is based on shared values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. This is why we are deeply concerned at the recent crackdowns on human rights defenders and organisations across the country. These are worrying signs of shrinking civil society space in India. We call on you to take urgent steps to change course, release all detained human rights defenders in the country, drop all charges against them, and allow them to carry out their work free from risk or impediment.
In recent months there have been coordinated arrests of human rights defenders across the country.
On 6 June 2018 five human rights defenders, Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Shoma Sen and Mahesh Raut were arrested in different parts of India. These human rights lawyers, journalists, and activists, were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) with spreading controversial pamphlets and delivering hate speeches in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence that broke out in January 2018. On 26 July 2018, a sedition case was filed against 20 people, including indigenous rights defender Father Stan Swamy, for posting critical statements against the Jharkhand State Government.
On 28 August 2018, a different group of five human rights defenders were arrested in another coordinated crackdown by Indian police. Sudha Bhardwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha and Arun Ferreira were all arrested in different cities across the country, under a host of charges, including terrorism-related charges. On 26 October 2018, the Pune Sessions Court rejected their bail application. Another Dalit community leader and human rights defender, Degree Prasad Chouhan, has been implicated, and risks being falsely charged as well.
Two environmental rights defenders Valarmathi Madhaiyan and Piyush Manush were arrested on 18 and 19 June 2018 in Achankuttapatti village in the state of Tamil Nadu for opposing the proposed central government sponsored and funded Salem-Chennai ‘green corridor’ highway project.
In another turn of events, on 25 October 2018, Amnesty International India had its bank accounts frozen and its country office in Bangalore was raided by officers of the Enforcement Directorate.
These are examples of arrests and judicial harassment, smearing, and intimidation of a wide range of human rights defenders, from those working on civil liberties, to land and environmental rights, indigenous and minority rights in India, and the backbone of India’s democracy.
We urge you to immediately end these practices, release all those who have been detained, drop all charges against them, and stop all judicial harassment of human rights defenders. Indian authorities should work towards more open civil society space and an enabling environment to allow human rights defenders to carry out their work.
We look forward to your reply on this pressing matter.
Sincerely,
Members of the European Parliament
Martina Anderson, Ireland, Sinn Fein
Brando Benifei, Italy, Group of Progressive Socialists and Democrats
Lynn Boylan, Ireland, Sinn Fein
Matt Carthy, Ireland, Sinn Fein
Jose Inacio Faria, Portugal, European Political Party (Christian Democrats)
Ana Gomes, Portugal, Party of European Socialists
Martin Häusling, Germany, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Eva Kaili, Greece, Panhellenic Socialist Movement
Tunne Kelam, Estonia, Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats)
António Marinho e Pinto, Portugal, Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
Ana Miranda, Spain, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Liadh Ní Riada, Ireland, Sinn Fein
Elly Schlein, Italy, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
Sion Simon, UK, Labour
Maria Lidia Senra Rodrigues, Spain, Confederal Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left
Alyn Smith, UK, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Barbara Spinelli, Italy, independent
Bart Staes, Belgium, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Marie-Christine Vergiat, France, independent
Julie Ward, UK, Labour Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
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