ANKARA (AA): The UN human rights body’s experts expressed “alarm” overalleged 59 extra-judicial killings by police in northern Indian state,where many victims belong to Muslim community.
The UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) said in astatement on Friday that its experts have written a letter to thegovernment of India on 15 of the cases in Uttar Pradesh since March 2017.
“We are extremely concerned about the pattern of events: individualsallegedly being abducted or arrested before their killing, and their bodiesbearing injuries indicative of torture,” the UN experts said in thestatement.
In 2017, according to the Wire, an Indian media outlet, at least 420encounters were conducted that left 15 people dead in the six months ofChief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s government.
By 2018, the police had conducted 1,038 encounters in which 32 were killed,the media outlet added.
The Indian Supreme Court is slated to hear several of such fake encountercases on Monday.
The OHCHR noted that they have also received reports that family members ofvictims and human rights defenders working on the cases have been harassedfrom police and had false criminal cases brought against them.
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“Family members of victims and human rights defenders must also beprotected from reprisals, and threats and harassment against theminvestigated,” it said.
Calling for an “urgent review” of the use of force by the state police, theOHCHR said they are yet to receive a response to their letter from theIndian government.
The UN experts also said the local police did not follow its SupremeCourt’s guidelines on investigations.
“We have also received allegations of corruption including the policedemanding money to release the victim prior to the killing,” the expertssaid in the statement.
