India: HRD intimidated by police as reprisal for meeting with UN Special Rapporteur on HRDs
Event- Country
- India
- Initial Date
- Jan 2, 2011
- Final Date
- Feb 14, 2011
- Event Description
On 2 January 2011, around 10am, one police officer from the Raninagar Police Station -who did not disclose his name and was not in uniform- came to Mr. Julfikar Ali's house. Mr. Ali was not present at that time. The police officer told his family members that the warrant of arrest - in connection to the criminal case Raninagar Police Station no.8/2008- is still pending. The unidentified police man did not show the warrant of arrest to Julfikar's family and did not provide any further information, except that he should immediately surrender himself before the court of law, leaving his family members feeling intimidated. On 13 January 2011 Mr. Julfikar Ali met with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Ms. Margaret Sekaggya, during her country visit to India. He met the Special Rapporteur during a consultation with human rights defenders held in Kolkata, West Bengal. During the said consultation, Mr. Julfikar Ali reported to Ms. Sekaggya the cases filed against him, as well as the harassment and threats of arrest he receives from the police who come to his house. He told the Special Rapporteur about the visit of the police to his house on 2 January 2011. On 18 January 2011, FORUM-ASIA sends an urgent alert to the UN Special Rapporteur on HRDs containing information about the 2 January 2011 incident, when police visited the house of Mr. Julfikar Ali. Days after Mr. Julfikar Ali reported to the UN Special Rapporteur on HRDs, police visits to his home became more frequent. There was a marked increase and frequency of the visits after Mr. Julfikar Ali spoke to the SpecialRapporteur. Police would seek him out in his village and knock on his door, asking his family about his whereabouts. Allegedly, the police would tell his family that there is a warrant out for the arrest of Mr. Julfikar Ali and that they will arrest him if they see him. (Note: On 12 January 2008, Inspector Vikash Chandra of the BSF lodged a complaint against Mr. Julfikar Ali at the Ranninagar Police Station under sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 353, 307, and 326 of the Indian Penal Code. These sections are on: rioting; rioting armed with a deadly weapon; unlawful assembly; obstruction of public servants; assault to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty; attempted murder and grievous bodily harm by means of a dangerous weapon. A warrant of arrest has been issued based on this complaint. The warrant names 4 persons, including Mr. Julfikar Ali, although his name was miswritten as Mr. Julfikar Shiekh.) On 11 February 2011, Mr. Julfikar Ali, accompanied by Mr. Kirity Roy, Secretary of MASUM, went to the District Court and Session Judge in Murshidabad to surrender himself. Mr. Julfikar Ali decided to do this after police visits to his home became more frequent after he spoke to the UN Special Rapporteur on HRDs. He also felt he needed to do this so that he can move freely to do his work as a human rights defender. Mr. Julfikar Ali filed a petition before the District Court to post anticipatory bail. The hearing was held on this day and his petition was granted. On 14 February 2011, another hearing was held at the District Court on another petition filed by Mr. Julfikar Ali to post anticipatory bail for another false case against him. This case arose from a complaint filed on 16 February 2008 by Sandip Kumar Yadav, Commander of the "A" Company of 90 Batallion. The complaint alleged that certain persons committed violations under Sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 353, 307, and 511 of the Indian Penal Code. AlthoughJulfikar Ali's name was not in this complaint, Mr. Rajat Das, the Investigation Officer of Raninagar Police Station included Julfikar Ali's name in the Charge Sheet. The District Court, on this day, allowed Mr. Julfikar Ali to post anticipatory bail for this case against him.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Judicial Harassment
- Reprisal as Result of Communication
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Not active
- Event Location
Latitude: 24.16756
Longitude: 88.27082
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 2 January 2011, around 10am, one police officer from the Raninagar Police Station -who did not disclose his name and was not in uniform- came to Mr. Julfikar Ali's house. Mr. Ali was not present at that time. The police officer told his family members that the warrant of arrest - in connection to the criminal case Raninagar Police Station no.8/2008- is still pending. The unidentified police man did not show the warrant of arrest to Julfikar's family and did not provide any further information, except that he should immediately surrender himself before the court of law, leaving his family members feeling intimidated. On 13 January 2011 Mr. Julfikar Ali met with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Ms. Margaret Sekaggya, during her country visit to India. He met the Special Rapporteur during a consultation with human rights defenders held in Kolkata, West Bengal. During the said consultation, Mr. Julfikar Ali reported to Ms. Sekaggya the cases filed against him, as well as the harassment and threats of arrest he receives from the police who come to his house. He told the Special Rapporteur about the visit of the police to his house on 2 January 2011. On 18 January 2011, FORUM-ASIA sends an urgent alert to the UN Special Rapporteur on HRDs containing information about the 2 January 2011 incident, when police visited the house of Mr. Julfikar Ali. Days after Mr. Julfikar Ali reported to the UN Special Rapporteur on HRDs, police visits to his home became more frequent. There was a marked increase and frequency of the visits after Mr. Julfikar Ali spoke to the SpecialRapporteur. Police would seek him out in his village and knock on his door, asking his family about his whereabouts. Allegedly, the police would tell his family that there is a warrant out for the arrest of Mr. Julfikar Ali and that they will arrest him if they see him. (Note: On 12 January 2008, Inspector Vikash Chandra of the BSF lodged a complaint against Mr. Julfikar Ali at the Ranninagar Police Station under sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 353, 307, and 326 of the Indian Penal Code. These sections are on: rioting; rioting armed with a deadly weapon; unlawful assembly; obstruction of public servants; assault to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty; attempted murder and grievous bodily harm by means of a dangerous weapon. A warrant of arrest has been issued based on this complaint. The warrant names 4 persons, including Mr. Julfikar Ali, although his name was miswritten as Mr. Julfikar Shiekh.) On 11 February 2011, Mr. Julfikar Ali, accompanied by Mr. Kirity Roy, Secretary of MASUM, went to the District Court and Session Judge in Murshidabad to surrender himself. Mr. Julfikar Ali decided to do this after police visits to his home became more frequent after he spoke to the UN Special Rapporteur on HRDs. He also felt he needed to do this so that he can move freely to do his work as a human rights defender. Mr. Julfikar Ali filed a petition before the District Court to post anticipatory bail. The hearing was held on this day and his petition was granted. On 14 February 2011, another hearing was held at the District Court on another petition filed by Mr. Julfikar Ali to post anticipatory bail for another false case against him. This case arose from a complaint filed on 16 February 2008 by Sandip Kumar Yadav, Commander of the "A" Company of 90 Batallion. The complaint alleged that certain persons committed violations under Sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 353, 307, and 511 of the Indian Penal Code. AlthoughJulfikar Ali's name was not in this complaint, Mr. Rajat Das, the Investigation Officer of Raninagar Police Station included Julfikar Ali's name in the Charge Sheet. The District Court, on this day, allowed Mr. Julfikar Ali to post anticipatory bail for this case against him.