India
09.10.03
Urgent Interventions
India : Threats against Mr. K.G. Kannabiran and his family
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
IND 001/1003/OBS 051
Threats / Harassment
India
October 9th, 2003
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT, requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in India.
Brief description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), of threats received by close family members of Mr. K.G. Kannabiran, a lawyer and President of the National PUCL in Andhra Pradesh (A.P).
According to the information received, at about 9.00 p.m. on 2nd October, Dr. Kalpana Kannabiran, the daughter of Mr. K.G. Kannabiran and a well known women's rights activist, received an anonymous telephone call warning her that her two young daughters would be kidnapped and killed. On the same night, she immediately lodged a written complaint with the Tukaram Gate Police Station.
On the following day at about 11.00 a.m., two youths came to the residence of Mr. Kannabiran on the pretence of selling cane furniture. When they attempted to enter the house, they were stopped by Ms. Vasanth Kannabiran, the wife of Mr. Kannabiran and a renowned women's rights activist and writer, who got them to leave. When they left the house, Ms. Vasanth Kannabiran saw them, getting on a motorcycle whose front head lamp had the word “Police” printed on it.
The Observatory is very concerned by those threats targeting Mr. KG Kannabiran and his family, which appear to be linked to PUCL’s condemnation of the recent attempt on the life of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh near Tirupati, on 1st October. According to the information received, human rights activists have already been the victims of reprisals due to their denunciation of the use of violence following the injuring or the killing of police officers or political personalities in Andra Pradesh.
Action requested:
Please write to the Indian authorities urging them to:
i. Ensure that an end be put to the threats targeting Mr. K.G. Kannabiran and his family and put an end to all kinds of harassment against all human rights defenders and their organisations in India;
ii. conform with the provisions of the Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders adopted on the 9th of December 1998, by the U.N. General Assembly, in particular article 1, which states that "everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" and article 12(2) which states that “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, threats, 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”;
iii. guarantee the application of the Universal declaration on Human Rights and Covenants and international Conventions ratified by India.
Addresses:
Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, President's Secretariat, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, India, Fax: 91-11-23017290 & 23017824, presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minster of India, Prime Minster's Office, South Block, Raisina Hill, New Delhi, India-110 011, Fax: 91-11-23019545 / 91-11-23016857
National Human Rights Commission, Sardar Patel Bhavan, Parliament Street, New Delhi, PIN 110001, India, Fax No. 91 + 11 + 23366537, e-mail: ionhrc@hub.nic.in
Dr. Justice A.S. Anand, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission, Sardar Patel Bhavan, Parliament Street, New Delhi, Pin. 110001, India, e. mail. chairnhrc@nic.in
Mr. Sorabjee Soli Jehangir, Attorney General of India, Office of the Attorney General of India, Supreme Court of India, Tilak Marg, New Delhi-110001, India, Fax: 91 + 11 + 23782101, Official Residence: 10 Motilal Nehru Marg, New Delhi-110011,
Tel/Fax: 91 + 11 + 23010525/ 23018696, Fax: 91 + 11+ 24354014
Geneva - Paris, October 9th, 2003
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken, quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency Line:
Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92, E-mail observatoire@iprolink.ch,
Tel. : FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT : + 41 22 809 49 39
IND 001/1003/OBS 051
Threats / Harassment
India
October 9th, 2003
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT, requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in India.
Brief description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), of threats received by close family members of Mr. K.G. Kannabiran, a lawyer and President of the National PUCL in Andhra Pradesh (A.P).
According to the information received, at about 9.00 p.m. on 2nd October, Dr. Kalpana Kannabiran, the daughter of Mr. K.G. Kannabiran and a well known women's rights activist, received an anonymous telephone call warning her that her two young daughters would be kidnapped and killed. On the same night, she immediately lodged a written complaint with the Tukaram Gate Police Station.
On the following day at about 11.00 a.m., two youths came to the residence of Mr. Kannabiran on the pretence of selling cane furniture. When they attempted to enter the house, they were stopped by Ms. Vasanth Kannabiran, the wife of Mr. Kannabiran and a renowned women's rights activist and writer, who got them to leave. When they left the house, Ms. Vasanth Kannabiran saw them, getting on a motorcycle whose front head lamp had the word “Police” printed on it.
The Observatory is very concerned by those threats targeting Mr. KG Kannabiran and his family, which appear to be linked to PUCL’s condemnation of the recent attempt on the life of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh near Tirupati, on 1st October. According to the information received, human rights activists have already been the victims of reprisals due to their denunciation of the use of violence following the injuring or the killing of police officers or political personalities in Andra Pradesh.
Action requested:
Please write to the Indian authorities urging them to:
i. Ensure that an end be put to the threats targeting Mr. K.G. Kannabiran and his family and put an end to all kinds of harassment against all human rights defenders and their organisations in India;
ii. conform with the provisions of the Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders adopted on the 9th of December 1998, by the U.N. General Assembly, in particular article 1, which states that "everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" and article 12(2) which states that “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, threats, 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”;
iii. guarantee the application of the Universal declaration on Human Rights and Covenants and international Conventions ratified by India.
Addresses:
Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, President's Secretariat, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, India, Fax: 91-11-23017290 & 23017824, presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minster of India, Prime Minster's Office, South Block, Raisina Hill, New Delhi, India-110 011, Fax: 91-11-23019545 / 91-11-23016857
National Human Rights Commission, Sardar Patel Bhavan, Parliament Street, New Delhi, PIN 110001, India, Fax No. 91 + 11 + 23366537, e-mail: ionhrc@hub.nic.in
Dr. Justice A.S. Anand, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission, Sardar Patel Bhavan, Parliament Street, New Delhi, Pin. 110001, India, e. mail. chairnhrc@nic.in
Mr. Sorabjee Soli Jehangir, Attorney General of India, Office of the Attorney General of India, Supreme Court of India, Tilak Marg, New Delhi-110001, India, Fax: 91 + 11 + 23782101, Official Residence: 10 Motilal Nehru Marg, New Delhi-110011,
Tel/Fax: 91 + 11 + 23010525/ 23018696, Fax: 91 + 11+ 24354014
Geneva - Paris, October 9th, 2003
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken, quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency Line:
Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92, E-mail observatoire@iprolink.ch,
Tel. : FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT : + 41 22 809 49 39