Criminalization of various “Outlook” Magazine journalists including Editor-in-Chief and publisher Neha Dixit

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URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY

IND 005 / 0816 / OBS 074

Criminalization/ Judicial Harassment
India
August12, 2016

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programmeof the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH, requests your urgentintervention in the following situation in India.

Descriptionof the Situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources of the criminalization andjudicial harassment of journalist and “Outlook” Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief andpublisher, Ms. Neha Dixit[1]as well as other journalists of “Outlook” Magazine, for publishing aninvestigation alleging trafficking in June 2015 of at least 31 girls belonging to Bodo and Santhalcommunities from Assam, Kokjrajhar district, by organisationsaffiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the RashtriyaSevika Samiti [2].

According to the information received, on August4, 2016, a police complaint against journalist Neha Dixit and other “Outlook” Magazine journalists was filed at Latasil Police Station in Guwahaticity, Assam, by members of the Bharatiya Janata Party[3]. Thecase[4] wasregistered under sections 120 (B) (“Punishment of criminal conspiracy”), and153 (A) (“promoting enmity between different groupson grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., anddoing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony”) of the Indian Penal Code.

The Observatory stronglycondemns the attempts to criminalize Ms. Neha Dixit as well as the other“Outlook” journalists, and calls upon the Indian authorities to put an end to the ongoingjudicial harassment against them, as well as against all journalists and humanrights defenders in India. Besides, until all charges against Ms. Neha Dixit and other journalists of “Outlook” are dropped,the Observatory urges the Indian authorities to ensure that judicialproceedings against them are carried out in full compliance with their right toa fair trial, as provided for under international law.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities of India askingthem to:

i. Put an end to all actsof harassment - including at the judicial level - against Ms. NehaDixit and other journalists of “Outlook” Magazine, as well as against all journalists and human rights defenders in Indiaso that they are able to carry out their work without hindrances;

ii. Immediatelyand unconditionally close the criminal case against Ms. NehaDixit and other journalists of “Outlook” Magazine;

iii. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychologicalintegrity of Ms. Neha Dixit and other journalists of “Outlook” Magazine, aswell as of all journalists and in India, who merely exercise their rightto freedom of opinion and expression;

iv. Conform in any circumstances with the provisions of the UN Declarationon Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the UnitedNations on December 9, 1998, especially its Article 1 and 12.2;

v. More generally, ensure in all circumstances the respect for humanrights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights and with international and regional human rights instrumentsratified by India.

Addresses:

· Mr.Shri Nanredra Damodardas Modi, Prime Minister of India, Fax: + 91 11 2301 6857.E-mail: pmosb@pmo.nic.in / manmo@sansad.in

· Mr.Raj Nath Singh, Union Minister of Home Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Fax:+91 11 2309 2979. Email: dirfcra-mha@gov.in

· Mr. Justice T.S. Thakur, Chief Justice of India, Fax: +91 11 233 83792, Email: supremecourt@nic.in

· Mr. Justice Shri H.L. Dattu, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commissionof India, Fax +91 11 2465 1329. Email: covdnhrc@nic.in; ionhrc@nic.in

· Mr.SrinivasaKammath, Focal Point onHuman Rights Defenders, National Human Rights Commission, Email: hrd-nhrc@nic.in

· Mr. Keshari NathTripathi, Governor of West Bengal, Kolkata, Fax +91 33 2200 2444. Email : secy-gov-wb@nic.in; governor-wb@nic.in

· H.E.Mr. Ajit Kumar, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of India to the UnitedNations in Geneva, Fax: +41 22 906 86 96, Email: mission.india@ties.itu.int

· Embassyof India in Brussels, Fax: +32 2 6489638 / +32 2 6451869

Please also write to the diplomatic mission or embassyof India in your respective country.

***

Geneva-Paris, August 12, 2016

Kindly inform us of any action undertakenquoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

TheObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) wascreated in 1997 by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH. Theobjective of this programme is to prevent or remedy situations of repressionagainst human rights defenders. OMCT and FIDH are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, theEuropean Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by internationalcivil society.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergencyline:

· E-mail:Appeals[at]fidh-omct.org

· Teland fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29

· Teland fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80

[1] Ms. Neha Dixitwon the International Commitee of the Red Cross award for her story« Shadow Lines » published in Outlook’s August 4, 2014 issue, aboutseven rape survivors and their fight for justice.

[2] The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) isa Hindu nationalist paramilitary volunteer organisation. The Rashtriya SevikaSamiti is the women’s wing of the RSS.

[3] Bharatiya JanataParty is one of the two major political parties in India. It is a right-wing partylinked to the RashtriyaSwayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

[4] Case No. 230/16