IT News
Imphal, July 30:
The Extrajudicial Execution Victim Families Association, Manipur (EEVFAM) and Human Rights Alert (HRA) have welcomed a significant recommendation from the UN Human Rights Committee. This recommendation urges the Government of India (GoI) to remove the requirement for mandatory prior authorization before prosecuting members of the security and armed forces. Currently, this requirement has been a major obstacle in prosecuting armed forces personnel, even when the CBI has found solid evidence against them.
This recommendation came after the UN Human Rights Committee conducted its 4th periodic review of India under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in Geneva on July 15 and 16, 2024. The situation in Manipur was discussed extensively during this review. The Committee’s Concluding Observation and Recommendation, published as UN document no. CCPR/C/IND/CO/4 on July 25, 2024, highlighted several concerns and suggestions.
The Committee expressed concern that the need for prior government authorization to prosecute security and armed forces members in counter-terrorism and military operations has created a climate of impunity for human rights violations. They noted that, despite the Supreme Court of India’s 2016 statement that allegations of extrajudicial killings must be thoroughly investigated, only 39 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered out of 1,528 documented cases in Manipur from 1979 to 2012. Many of these cases have not been scheduled for trial due to the lack of prosecution sanctions.
The Committee recommended that the Indian government abolish this mandatory prior authorization requirement. They also called for prompt and impartial investigations into all human rights violations in counter-terrorism and military operations, ensuring that perpetrators are prosecuted and appropriately punished, and that victims receive effective remedies.
EEVFAM and HRA expressed hope that the GoI would act quickly on the UN’s recommendation to ensure justice for victims of extrajudicial executions.
