US State Dept report flags human rights abuses in India

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 31

Despite government efforts to address abuses, a lack of accountability for official misconduct persisted at all levels, contributing to widespread impunity, said a US State Department country report on human rights practices in India.

Investigations and prosecutions of individual cases took place, but lax enforcement, shortage of trained police officers and an overburdened and under resourced court system contributed to a low number of convictions, it said.

The report identified significant human rights issues as unlawful and arbitrary killings, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, restrictions on freedom of expression and the press, site blocking, excessive curbs on NGOs and widespread corruption.

The State Department's cyclical March-end report usually pulls up India for several alleged acts of omission on the human rights front. Governments in Delhi, regardless of political colour, have been hostile to overseas bodies judging India's human rights quotient. For instance, the report quoted the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances as listing seven cases. This US body has not been allowed access into India by the UPA and NDA governments since 2010.

But of late, the US State Department has been noting the spread of issues such as unjustified arrests, censorship and restrictions.

But the report also noted that separatist insurgents and terrorists in Jamp;K, Northeast, and Maoist-affected areas committed serious abuses, including killings and torture of armed forces personnel and recruitment and use of child soldiers.

The report also noted that the government continued taking steps to restore normalcy in Jamp;K by gradually lifting some security and communications restrictions.

'Arbitrary killings, arrests'

A US State Department country report on human rights practices in India has taken note of unlawful and arbitrary killings, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, restrictions on freedom of expression and the press, site blocking, excessive curbs on NGOs and widespread corruption.

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2Ps1maq