IMC-USA Urges AP Govt. to Take Action on Report Confirming Torture of Youth in Hyderabad
Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, urges action from all those who believe in justice to demand the Andhra Pradesh state government to outline what actions will be taken to address the findings of the report submitted by L. Ravi Chander, Advocate Commissioner, to the AP Minorities Commissions.
In response to the illegal detention and torture of Muslim youth in Hyderabad by state police in the aftermath of the August 25th bombings the AP Minorities Commission appointed advocate L Ravi Chander to investigate these claims. An interim report a month later confirmed abuse of power by the police.
A full report of the investigation including interviews with 20 detainees was submitted to minorities Commission in October 2008.
The final report outlined recommendations to investigate police failure to follow procedures as well as calling for disciplinary action against erring police offices. Last year the AP High Court acquitted 21 of the 22 youth charged by the police in the 2007 bomb blast cases and ordered their release. Mr. Ravi Chander also recommended steps for the rehabilitation of the victims and their families and that a committee be setup to supervise arrests.
IMC-USA would like to thank the AP Minorities Commission for commissioning the report and Mr. Ravi Chander for his hard work and due diligence. IMC-USA demands the AP Minorities Commission to submit the report thorugh proper channels to the AP Government and the Chief Minister’s office. IMC-USA would like to request the Andhra Pradesh state government and the Chief Minister’s office to outline what steps have been taken to acknowledge the findings of the report.
IMC-USA would also like to know what action has been taken by the Government on the recommendations of the final report. We would like to know whether the Government received the report from minorities commission, which visited riot affected areas of Adilabad district, and if so, what action has been taken by the Government.
IMC-USA urges all concerned to:
A. Immediately call and write to the authorities and demand the following:
1. Stop indiscriminate and illegal detention and torture of Muslim youth.
2. Make public the final report of the Minorities Commission by advocate Ravi Chander.
3. Inform the public about what actions will be taken by AP Government in light of the report outlining the illegal detention and torture of youth by state police.
4. Take action against all police personnel involved in the torture and mistreatment of detainees and their families.
Y S Rajshekar Reddy (Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh)
Phone: +91-40-23451805 / 23456698 /23455205
+91-40-23410333 / 23410666 (Res)
Fax: +91-40-23452498 / 23454828, +91-40-23410555 (Res)
Yousuf Qureishi, Chairman, A.P. State Minorities Commission
Phone: +91-40-23453078, 23453206
Fax: +91-40-23453206
Email: chairman_mincomm@ap.gov.in
