Case IND 140911
Alleged torture and ill-treatment/ No effective investigation/ Fear for the safety
The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requestsyour URGENT intervention in the following situation in India/ Manipur.
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Centre for Organisation Research & Education (CORE), a member of the OMCT SOS-Torture Network, about the alleged torture and ill-treatment to which Ms. Leishiwon Mashangva, a 37-year-old woman from New Canaan village, Mr. Surrender Hungyo, a 45-year-old man from New Canaan village, and Mr. Chihansing Chithung, a 22-year-old man from Nungsong village, were subjected during their detention by members of the Manipur Police Commandos, in the city of Imphal, in the state of Manipur. All three are members of the Tangkhul Naga tribe.
According to the information received, on 19 August 2011 at about 3:45 pm, after collecting pig-feed near the Imphal river, Ms. Leishiwon Mashangva, Mr.Surrender Hungyo andMr. Chihansing Chithung were waiting for a vehicle near the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) gate, at Khuman Lampak, in Imphal, when three unidentified individuals in plain-clothes (one of them reportedly wore camouflage trousers), alleged to be members of the Manipur Police Commandos, arrived and asked them what they were doing at that place. The three policemen then forced Ms. Leishiwon Mashangva, Mr.Surrender Hungyo andMr. Chihansing Chithung to follow them without any warrant of arrest or giving any reason. They were forced into a white Maruti van and they were first taken to the Sport Complex in Khuman Lampak, where the policemen reportedly asked passers-by to identify Ms. Leishiwon Mashangva, Mr.Surrender Hungyo andMr. Chihansing Chithung. The policemen then brought them to a house located in Khuman Lampak from where the policemen took some clothes. These were subsequently used to blindfold Ms. Leishiwon Mashangva, Mr.Surrender Hungyo andMr. Chihansing Chithung. It was reportedly already dark when they arrived at the police commando camp in Khuman Lampal.
According to the same information received, at the aforementioned police camp, Ms. Leishiwon Mashangva, Mr.Surrender Hungyo andMr. Chihansing Chithung were severely beaten by the police for about three hours and accused of being members of an armed opposition group who came to plant bombs.
Ms. Leishiwon Mashangva was reportedly so severely beaten all over her body that she could not open her mouth to eat and walk or sit up properly. Her right cheek and eye were swollen and her jaw was badly hurt. She was allegedly asked to sign on a paper but she refused as she cannot read. She was released on bail the following day, on 20 August 2011, after she was produced before a magistrate. Mr. Surrender Hungyo was also reportedly severely beaten all over his body causing him difficulty walking. Furthermore, he was threatened with being shot if he refused to admit. The police reportedly took his signature on papers without explaining the content of the paper. He was released on bail, on 26 August 2011, but has to report on fixed dates to the Imphal Police station. Mr. Chihansing Chithung was reportedly forced to strip before the police poured water all over his body and started to beat him. One of his forefingers was broken. The police then allegedly forced him to admit of being in possession of four bullets. He was released on bail, on 30 August 2011, but has to report on fixed dates to the Imphal Police station. None of them was examined by a doctor or had access to a lawyer during their detention.
According to the same information, Ms. Leishiwon Mashangva, Mr.Surrender Hungyo andMr. Chihansing Chithung were only taken by their friends, upon their respective release, to a private hospital in Dewlahland, in Imphal. A senior Superintendent of police (SI) of Imphal West District reportedly later denied the allegations of torture and ill-treatment in a local newspaper. To date, no effective investigation has been reportedly carried out into the aforementioned event.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned about the safety of Ms. Leishiwon Mashangva, Mr.Surrender Hungyo andMr. Chihansing Chithung and urges the competent authorities to guarantee their physical and psychological integrity at all times. OMCT recalls that the authorities have to fulfil their obligations under international human rights law to protect the right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and to bringing to justice those responsible for violating this right.
Accordingly, OMCT calls upon the competent authorities to undertake a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the aforementioned allegations, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply adequate sanctions.
Actions Requested
Please write to the authorities in India urging them to:
i. Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Leishiwon Mashangva, Mr.Surrender Hungyo andMr. Chihansing Chithung;
ii. Carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the aforementioned events, in particular the allegations of torture and ill-treatment, in accordance with international human rights standards, the result of which must be made public, in order to bring those responsible before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iii. Ensure that an effective remedy as well as the right to full redress, including compensation and rehabilitation, is granted to the victims concerned;
iv. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
Ø Smt. Pratibha Patil, President of India, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi 110004, India, Fax 91 11 233 82365/ 91 11 237 11 772
Ø Shri. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, Prime Minister’s Office, Room number 152, South Block, New Delhi 110011, INDIA, Telephone: 91-11-23012312. Fax: 91-11-23019545 / 91-11-23016857.Email: manmohan@sansad.nic.in, pmosb@pmo.nic.in
Ø Dr. P. Chidambaram, Union Minister of Home Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, 104-107 North Block, New Delhi 110 001 India. Fax: +91 11 2309 2979. Email: hm@nic.in,pchidambi@yahoo.co.in
Ø Justice Kapadia, Chief Justice of India and RK. Raghavan, Chairman of the Special Investigation Team, Supreme Court, Tilak Marg, New Delhi -01, India. Fax: +91 11 233 83792, Email: supremecourt@nic.in
Ø Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of India, Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi 110 001, India. Tel: +91 11 230 74448, Fax: +91 11 2334 0016, Email: covdnhrc@nic.in, ionhrc@nic.in,chairnhrc@nic.in
Ø Mr. Okram Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur, Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Babupara, Imphal, 795001, Manipur, India, Telephone: + 91 385 2450137 (O), + 91 385 2421171 (R), Fax: 91 385 2451817, + 91 385 2451817, Email: cmmani@hub.nic.in, cmmani@man.nic.in
Ø His Excellency Shri. Gurbachan Jagat, Governor of Manipur, Raj Bhavan Imphal 795001, Manipur INDIA, govmani@hub.nic.in (Off) + 91 385 2450009, + 91 385 2450009, + 91 385 2450287 Fax: + 91 385 2450278
Ø Dr. Girija Vjas, Chairperson, National Commission for Women, 4, Deen Dayal Upadhayaya Marg, New Dehli 110 002 India, Fax: +91 11 23236154, Email: ncw@nic.in
Ø Dr. L. Ibetombi, Chairperson, Manipur State Women Commission, DC Office, Complex, North Block, Post Office Lamphelpat, Manipur 795 004, Email: mscw_imphal@yahoo.com
Ø Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations (Geneva),Rue du Valais 9, 1202 Geneva, Tel: +41 22 906 86 86, Fax: +41 22 906 86 96, Email: mission.india@ties.itu.int
Please also write to the embassies of India in your respective country.
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Geneva, 14 September 2011
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
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