India: Ms Ranjeeta Sadokpam subjected to intimidation
Event- Country
- India
- Initial Date
- Feb 27, 2018
- Event Description
On the intervening night of 26 and 27 February 2018 at around 1.00 A.M., Ranjeeta heard a knocking at her door and calling out for one "Somendro". Ranjeeta responded to the call telling that there is no one called Mr. Somendro in her house. But the voice, in Manipuri, insisted that she should open the door as they were looking for a person called Somendro. Ranjeeta went out to the balcony on the first floor of her house from where she could see the person in police uniform demanding that she open the door. Ranjeeta once again reasoned out that the person they were looking for was not there but the police personnel insisted on opening the door as they wanted to conduct a search. When Ranjeeta asked if he was accompanied by any officer authorized to conduct search. Then, an Army officer stepped out in to the dimly lit area and identified himself as an Army Major stating that he was the authorized officer. Ranjeeta stepped back into her house and discussed the situation with her siblings. The knocking on her door became even more constant and heavier. the combined team responded positive by nodding his head. Ms. Ranjeeta confronted the officer pointing out that Ronen is not Somendro whom they were looking for. The officer and the army personnel cornered Ronen at a little distance from the house and spoke to him. Then, the officer demanded the identity card of Ronen. Identity documents of Ronen were also showed to him. Thereafter, the officer asked the family members to sign a declaration which was not read over to them. The family members reluctantly signed on the paper and the combined team left the location. There is every reason to believe that this act of the Army and the police disturbing the family at the dead o fnight in such an uncalled for action and intimidating way, is nothing but an act of harassment of human rights defenders for carrying out their legitimate human rights work. HRA takes the act of intimidation very seriously, particularly at a time when the Central Bureau of Investigation and National Human Rights Commission is conducting investigation on extrajudicial execution of several cases involving the combined team of Manipur Police and the Army under the orders ofthe Supreme Court of lndia. Ms. Ranjeeta Sadokpam is a Researcher at Human Rights Alert (HRA). HRA is Petitioner No. 2 of the Extrajudicial Execution Victirns' Families Association, Manipur and Another Vs. Union of India and Another[Writ Petition (Cril) 129 of 2012].
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- NGO staff
- Perpetrator-State
- Armed forces/ Military
- Government
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 24.663717300000002
Longitude: 93.90626880000002
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 27 Februrary 2018, Ms. Ranjeeta Sadokpam, a Researcher at Human Rights Alert (HRA) was subject to intimidation from armed forces.