NHRC at the 16th Annual Meeting of Special Procedures Mandate Holders
A delegation led by Acting Chairperson, Mr. Justice G.P. Mathur accompanied by Secretary General, Mr. A.K. Jain visited Geneva to participate in the interactive session of Special Procedures Mandate Holders (SPMHs) with National Human Rights Institutions and others as a part of their 16th Annual General Meeting on 30th June, 2009. The delegation also participated in a separate meeting of Chairpersons of human rights treaty bodies with NHRIs at Geneva on 1st July, 2009.
In the meeting with SPMHs, the Acting Chairperson, Mr. Justice Mathur made a statement emphasizing upon necessity of interaction between Special Rapporteurs and National Human Rights Institutions. He observed that NHRIs have authentic information on the ground realities and are in a position to make a balanced and holistic assessment. For these reasons, it is important that the Special Rapporteurs should not only interact with the National Human Rights Institutions but should fully take into account their version and give it due importance while making assessment of situation on human rights issues.
The delegation also visited the German Institute for Human Rights in Berlin and held discussions with its Director, Prof. Dr. Heiner Bielefeldt on 2nd July, 2009. The discussions centered around, among other things on impact of economic recession on human rights, terrorism and human rights and corporate social responsibility. On a query by Indian delegation about anti-terrorism laws in Germany, it was informed that after 11th September, 2001 terror attacks in the USA, the law makers were so concerned with the issue of terrorism that Germany saw an incredible increase in security legislation. One of these included the Air Transport Security Act, 2004. This authorized the Commander of the German Air force to order shooting down of a passenger airplane on assumptions that it could be used against the life of others. This triggered an intense debate in the country about the balancing of security against liberty. It is a different matter that finally the debate on the justification of such a law ended with the German Federal Constitution Court concluding in its judgement on 15th February, 2006 that the said provision in law is unconstitutional, as shooting down the plane violates the Fundamental Right to Life of the innocent people on board the aircraft.
Later on, the NHRC delegation also visited the Human Rights Centre at the University of Potsdam in Germany and interacted with Prof. Dr. Klein about the research and other work done by the Centre on human rights issues.
In the meeting with SPMHs, the Acting Chairperson, Mr. Justice Mathur made a statement emphasizing upon necessity of interaction between Special Rapporteurs and National Human Rights Institutions. He observed that NHRIs have authentic information on the ground realities and are in a position to make a balanced and holistic assessment. For these reasons, it is important that the Special Rapporteurs should not only interact with the National Human Rights Institutions but should fully take into account their version and give it due importance while making assessment of situation on human rights issues.
The delegation also visited the German Institute for Human Rights in Berlin and held discussions with its Director, Prof. Dr. Heiner Bielefeldt on 2nd July, 2009. The discussions centered around, among other things on impact of economic recession on human rights, terrorism and human rights and corporate social responsibility. On a query by Indian delegation about anti-terrorism laws in Germany, it was informed that after 11th September, 2001 terror attacks in the USA, the law makers were so concerned with the issue of terrorism that Germany saw an incredible increase in security legislation. One of these included the Air Transport Security Act, 2004. This authorized the Commander of the German Air force to order shooting down of a passenger airplane on assumptions that it could be used against the life of others. This triggered an intense debate in the country about the balancing of security against liberty. It is a different matter that finally the debate on the justification of such a law ended with the German Federal Constitution Court concluding in its judgement on 15th February, 2006 that the said provision in law is unconstitutional, as shooting down the plane violates the Fundamental Right to Life of the innocent people on board the aircraft.
Later on, the NHRC delegation also visited the Human Rights Centre at the University of Potsdam in Germany and interacted with Prof. Dr. Klein about the research and other work done by the Centre on human rights issues.