India does not protect human rights defenders properly, says UN representative
United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor on Friday criticised India’s handling of rights activists, reported The Indian Express. Lawlor was speaking at an online event marking the 100 days of imprisonment of activist Stan Swamy.
“India is a state which doesn’t properly protect human rights defenders,” Lawlor said. “I am appalled by the treatment of human rights defenders such as Father Stan Swamy who embodies solidarity.”
Lawlor said that she had written to the Indian government raising concerns about Swamy’s arrest, but she was yet to get a reply…. Earlier this month, Lawlor had tweeted a copy of the letter, where she referred to Swamy’s arrest as an “arbitrary detention”, pointing out that he has been working to protect the rights of Adivasis and Dalits since the 1970s.
