India: Attempt to harass and threaten Human Rights Monitoring Forum
Event- Country
- India
- Initial Date
- Apr 18, 2019
- Event Description
According to sources on 18 April, 2019 at around 9.30 PM three police personnel in plain clothes reportedly from PGI police station and Aashiana police station of Lucknow and members of Special Task Forceforcibly entered into the office premise of Human Rights Monitoring Forum. The members of HRMF protested against the unauthorised entry of police personnel in their officeas the police personnel did not provide them any legal warrant for search and did notexplain their presence. Enraged by the protest,the police personnel started intimidating the members of HRMF and tried to threaten them for their actions and interventions in cases of human rights violation against people where police are involved. HRMFat presenthas been providing legal aid to victims of police abuses and on that particular occasion they were helping a victim of police violencenamed Mr. AvinashShukla who was being repeatedly threatened by the police. Sources say that the police was trying to pick up the victim and threatening to kill him in police encounter. The victim has asked for legal help from HRMF and organisation's legal team had taken up his case. HRMF members tried to explain the police that the organisation works for the protection of human rights legally, within the confines of constitution. They also explained to the police that it is not the intention of the organisation to work against the police, but it works to highlight the cases of violation of human rights of people and provide legal protection to them. When theHRMF members asked the police to show the official order or documents in support of their action against the organisation, the plain clothed police personnel told them they were from the police department and they could take any action for which they did not require any official order or permission. When HRMF members strongly opposed the police action, they left the place and threatened them with dire consequences if they continued to work against the police
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly
- Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- NGO
- Perpetrator-State
- Government
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 20.593683
Longitude: 78.962883
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 18 April 2019,Human Rights Monitoring Forum (HRMF), had their office visited by police, who intimidated and threatened their staff.