NHRC sends notice to the Delhi Police Chief and Home Secretary, MHA on Taslima Nasreen's condition: sends notice to West Bengal Chief Secretary and DGP on the killing of five persons in indiscriminate police firing
New Delhi February 08, 2008
The National Human Rights Commission has asked the Delhi Police Commissioner and the Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs to provide their stand within two weeks on a complaint brought to the notice of the Commission concerning the writer Ms Taslima Nasreen from Bangladesh. The Commission's move comes after a group of writers submitted a joint complaint which said that Ms Taslima Nasreen was virtually undergoing solitary confinement. The complaint alleged that she was not able to even converse or communicate with anyone except government officials and was undergoing great agony. The complainant said that the author was entitled for protection of her life and liberty and there was no basis to treat her in that manner.
The Commission after going through the complaint said that if true, the allegations made in the complaint seriously affect human rights. It also directed that a copy of complaint should be provided to the two authorities for their comments.
The Commission also sent notice to the Chief Secretary, West Bengal and DGP, West Bengal on a report which said that atleast five persons were killed in indiscriminate police firing on the Forward Bloc activists at Dinhata town of North Bengal on February 5, 2008. As per the report published in "The Telegraph" on February 6, 2008, the activists were protesting against SEZs and big capital's entry into retail. The report further said that the deceased were in the age group of 25 to 65 and 50 others were injured in the incident. The report also added that eight supporters of Forward Bloc suffered bullet injuries. The Telegraph report further highlighted that the protesters were shot above the waist and those who died suffered head or neck injury.
Calling it a serious issue of violation of human rights, the Commission has given four weeks time to the two authorities for their comments.
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The National Human Rights Commission has asked the Delhi Police Commissioner and the Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs to provide their stand within two weeks on a complaint brought to the notice of the Commission concerning the writer Ms Taslima Nasreen from Bangladesh. The Commission's move comes after a group of writers submitted a joint complaint which said that Ms Taslima Nasreen was virtually undergoing solitary confinement. The complaint alleged that she was not able to even converse or communicate with anyone except government officials and was undergoing great agony. The complainant said that the author was entitled for protection of her life and liberty and there was no basis to treat her in that manner.
The Commission after going through the complaint said that if true, the allegations made in the complaint seriously affect human rights. It also directed that a copy of complaint should be provided to the two authorities for their comments.
The Commission also sent notice to the Chief Secretary, West Bengal and DGP, West Bengal on a report which said that atleast five persons were killed in indiscriminate police firing on the Forward Bloc activists at Dinhata town of North Bengal on February 5, 2008. As per the report published in "The Telegraph" on February 6, 2008, the activists were protesting against SEZs and big capital's entry into retail. The report further said that the deceased were in the age group of 25 to 65 and 50 others were injured in the incident. The report also added that eight supporters of Forward Bloc suffered bullet injuries. The Telegraph report further highlighted that the protesters were shot above the waist and those who died suffered head or neck injury.
Calling it a serious issue of violation of human rights, the Commission has given four weeks time to the two authorities for their comments.
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