WHRDIC condemns the judicial harassment of Teesta Setalvad

The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRDIC), of which OMCT is a member, is a resource and advocacy network supportingwomen human rights defenders worldwide.



WHRDIC CONDEMNS THE JUDICIAL HARASSMENT OF TEESTA SETALVAD

The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition calls on the Indian authorities toend the judicial harassment of Indian woman human rights defender, Teesta Setalvad.

Teesta Setalvad is a journalist and founder of Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace(CJP). Sabrang Trust works to promote conflict resolution and support peace building. CJPprovides legal aid to the survivors of the Gujarat riots, and has been instrumental in obtainingconvictions against perpetrators of the violence, among which are politicians and governmentofficials. As a committed woman human rights defender, Teesta Setalvad has tirelesslycontributed to maintaining a peaceful and more stable India and has inspired our communitywith her exemplary human rights advocacy.

Teesta Setalvad has been facing a series of actions of harassment, including judicialproceedings since 2013 which are believed to be politically motivated. Judicial proceedingshave been ongoing against Teesta Setalvad and her spouse, based on spurious charges ofalleged embezzlement of funds intended for the construction of a memorial to the victims ofthe 2002 Gujarat riots. An investigation which began in January 2014 has resulted incontinuous harassment and systematic probes into the accounts of Setalvad's NGO andgroundless accusations of non-cooperation. Most recently, on 14 July 2015, her house andoffice were raided by officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation and on 29 June 2015, atravel ban was imposed on her.

While the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition welcomes the news thaton 24 July 2015, the Bombay High Court granted human rights defender Teesta Setalvadanticipatory bail for two weeks, it calls on the Indian authorities to end the judicialharassment of Teesta Setalvad, as it believes these actions to be an attempt to repress anddestabilize her legitimate work in the defense of human rights.

The Indian government must ensure that women human rights defenders can carry out theirlegitimate human rights work, free from threats, attacks and intimidation. The Women HumanRights Defenders International Coalition recognizes the valuable contributions TeestaSetalvad has made to advocating for a just and peaceful society, and stands in solidarity andsisterhood with her.

Members of WHRD:

Amnesty International (AI)
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD)
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM ASIA)
The Association for Progressive Communications Women’s Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP)Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID)
BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights (BAOBAB)
Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR)
Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL)
Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL)
Frida the Young Feminist Fund
Front Line Defenders
Human Rights First
Information Monitor (INFORM)
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW-AP)
Isis International
ISIS Women’s International Cross-Cultural Exchange (ISIS-WICCE)
Just Associates (JASS)
The Latin American and Caribbean Committee for the Defense of Women’s Rights (CLADEM)
MADRE
Nazra for Feminist Studies
Nobel Women’s Initiative (NWI)
Peace Brigades International
Rainbow Rights Project (R-Rights), Inc.
Society for Appraisal & Women Empowerment in Rural Areas (SAWERA)
Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights (UAF)
Women Living under Muslim Laws (WLUML)
Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights
Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice (WIGJ)
Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC)
World Organisation against Torture (OMCT)