28/04/2016
JAL
28/04/2016
JUA
Case No
Country
Mandate(s)
Summary of the allegation transmitted
IND 1/2016
India
Discrimination
against women;
Freedom of
expression;
Freedom of
peaceful assembly
and of association;
Human rights
defenders;
Independence of
judges and
lawyers;
Indigenous
peoples; Violence
against women;
Alleged harassment, attacks and threats against five women human rights
defenders. According to the information received, on 3 October 2015, a resolution
was passed by the Bastar Bar Association, prohibiting Ms. Shalini Gera and Ms.
Isha Khandelwal, two human rights lawyers, from representing their clients,
indigenous Adivasis, in Jagdalpur. Following a complaint by the lawyers, an
interim order allowed them to practice again. On 18 February 2016, the landlord of
Ms. Gera and Ms. Khandelwal was pressured by police to evict the lawyers from
their offices. In January 2016, after Ms. Bela Bhatia had assisted several Adivasi
women who had allegedly been raped by police officers, she faced intimidation
from a police organisation. Police visited her home numerous times and her mobile
phone was tracked. On 20 February 2016, the landlady of Ms. Bhatia was called to
the police station in Jagdalpur and pressured to ask Ms. Bhatia to leave her home.
On 7 February 2016, the home of Ms. Malini Subramanium, a journalist, was
targeted by a group of 20 persons shouting abusive slogans at her. On 18 February,
Ms. Subramanium’s landlord was forced by the police to evict Ms. Subramanium
from her residence. On 1 August 2015, Ms. Soni Sori, an indigenous rights
defender, held a press conference on the murder of a villager, and subsequently
became the object of a slander campaign. On 20 February 2016, she was attacked
by three unidentified men throwing chemical substance near Jawbanga,
Chhattisgarh, resulting in her hospitalisation.
IRN 10/2016
Iran (Islamic
Republic of)
Freedom of
expression;
Freedom of
peaceful assembly
and of association;
Human rights
defenders; Iran;
Alleged arbitrary arrest, detention and prosecution of a trade unionist. According to
the information received, in April 2015, Mr. Ismail Abdi was arrested and detained
in solitary confinement for his work as a trade unionist. In April 2016, he was
sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for “gathering and colluding to commit
crimes against national security”. It is reported that he is yet to appeal his sentence
and has expressed his intention to go on hunger strike. Serious concern is
expressed about the sentencing of Mr. Abdi, allegedly for his work as a trade
unionist and the exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and freedom of
association. Mr. Abdi was the subject of a previous communication sent on 3
December 2015, see A/HRC/32/53, case no. IRN 23/2015.
Reply
A/HRC/33/32
64
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