Washington:
Government officials at both the local and national levels in India have been involved in “harassing” critical media outlets through physical intimidation and attacks, a US human rights report said Tuesday.
“Independent media were active and generally expressed a wide range of views,” said the India section of the 2021 Country Report on Human Rights Practices, published by the State Department on behalf of Congress.
“There were reports from journalists and NGOs that government officials at both the local and national levels were involved in intimidating critical media outlets through physical intimidation and attacks, pressuring owners, targeting sponsors, encouraging frivolous lawsuits and in some areas, blocking communication services, such as mobile phones and the Internet, and restricting freedom of movement,” it said.
NGOs in India claimed criminal prosecutions and investigations were used to intimidate journalists who criticized the government, the report said.
India has rejected similar reports in the past. The Indian government has claimed that India has well-established democratic practices and robust institutions to ensure the rights of all.
The government has emphasized that the Indian Constitution provides sufficient safeguards under various statutes to ensure the protection of human rights.
The State Department’s annual human rights report said there were significant human rights issues, including credible reports of: unlawful and arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings by the government or its agents; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by police and prison staff; and harsh and life-threatening prison conditions.
The State Department says the Biden administration has put human rights at the heart of US domestic and foreign policy. The report paints a clear picture of where human rights and democracy are under threat.
It highlights where governments have wrongfully imprisoned, tortured or even murdered political opponents, activists, human rights defenders or journalists, including in Russia, China, North Korea, Nicaragua and Syria.
The report documents abuses of peaceful protests demanding democracy and fundamental freedoms in countries such as Burma, Belarus, Cuba, Hong Kong and Sudan.
In the India section of the report, the State Department says there were also reports of arbitrary arrest and detention by government agencies; political prisoners or detainees alleging arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; restrictions on free speech and the media, including violence, threats of violence, or unwarranted arrest or prosecution of journalists.
The State Department claims in its report that criminal libel laws have been used to prosecute speech on social media; restrictions on internet freedom; overly restrictive laws on organization, and funding, or operations of non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations.
refoulement of refugees; serious government corruption; government harassment of domestic and international human rights organizations; and lack of investigation and accountability for gender-based violence are some of the other major human rights violations in India in 2021.
According to the report, human rights violations in India included crimes of violence and discrimination against members of minority groups based on religious affiliation, social status or sexual orientation or gender identity; and forced and compulsory labour, including child labor and forced labour.
“Terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, northeastern states and areas affected by Maoist terrorism have committed serious abuses, including the killing and torture of armed forces personnel, police, government officials and civilians, kidnapping and the recruitment and deployment of child soldiers,” the statement said. †
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