UN rapporteur to examine J&K killings
United Nations special rapporteur Christof Heyns said on Monday that his current visit to India is aimed at examining all killings that are in violation of international human rights or humanitarian law. The focus of the visit, however, is “prevent such incidents and ensure justice is meted out to the victims,” he said.
Mr Heyns, who began his 12-day India visit on March 19 arrived in Srinagar on Monday and has, so far, held open and close-door sessions with senior police officials, human rights activists, academicians, prominent lawyers, relatives of victims and sections of the society.
He will also examine the legislative framework applied in India vis-à-vis the issues encompassed by his mandate. He will submit a provisional report by Friday followed by a full report to the United Nations General Assembly for a review during the forthcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council in 2013.
It is the first fact-finding mission to the country by an independent expert charged by the UN Human Rights Council to examine situations of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. On the basis of his analysis, Mr Heyns will make recommendations “to assist the country in exploring avenues to strengthen the protection of the right to life.”
Before leaving for India, he had said in Geneva, “My upcoming mission represents a unique opportunity to assess the situation of extrajudicial executions in India, and the efforts undertaken to prevent them and ensure accountability in such cases.” He added, “It shall give me the opportunity to gather lessons learned in relation to matters concerning my mandate.” Mr Heyns was at a brief introductory meet with the mediapersons flanked by Parveena Ahangar who heads a faction of Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons and noted Kashmiri lawyer Zaffar Shah.
While Ms Ahangar urged him to persuade the Indian government to make public whereabouts of thousands of the victims of involuntary disappearances, Mr Shah said were certain laws in force in Jammu and Kashmir, including Public Safety Act and Armed Forces Special Powers Act which “don’t coexist with democracy.
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