Urgent appeal Re. murderous assault leading to death of Shahjahanpur (UP) based journalist Jagendra Singh , a Human Rights Defender by the Uttar Pradesh minister Ram Moorti Verma, Inspector Sriprakash Rai of Uttar Pradesh Police and others.

  

Sanjay Sharma <tahririndia@gmail.com>	Tue, Jun 9, 2015 at 2:40 PM
To: covdnhrc <covdnhrc@nic.in>, ionhrc <ionhrc@nic.in>, “HRD Focal Point in NHRC” <hrd-nhrc@nic.in>, “HRD Focal Point in NHRC” <jrlawnhrc@nic.in>, uphrclko <uphrclko@yahoo.co.in>, cmup <cmup@nic.in>, cmup <cmup@up.nic.in>, csup <csup@up.nic.in>, csup <csup@nic.in>, dgp@up.nic.in, uppcc-up <uppcc-up@nic.in>, uppcc <uppcc@up.nic.in>, dmsha@up.nic.in, spsha-up@nic.in
To, 1-      The Chairperson National Human Rights Commission, ManavAdhikarBhawan, Block-C, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi – 110 023 Email: "covdnhrc" <covdnhrc@nic.in>, "ionhrc" <ionhrc@nic.in>, 2-      Shri A. K. Parashar National Focal Point - Human Rights Defenders & Joint Registrar National Human Rights Commission ManavAdhikarBhawan, Block-C, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi – 110 023 Email: "“HRD Focal Point in NHRC”" <hrd-nhrc@nic.in>, "“HRD Focal Point in NHRC”" <jrlawnhrc@nic.in>, 3-      Mr. Justice TarunChatterjee, Chairperson, U.P. State Human Rights Commission, TC-34 V-1, VibhutiKhand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow-226010 uphrclko@yahoo.co.in Fax No.: 0522 – 2305808 4-      ShriAkhileshYadav Hon’ble Chief Minister, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Luncknow, Uttar Pradesh. Ph: 0522-2236181 2239296 2215501 Fax: 0522-2236838 2236985 E.mail: "cmup" <cmup@nic.in>, "cmup" <cmup@up.nic.in>, 5-      ShriAlokRanjan, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Ph: 0522-2221599 Fax: 0522-2239283 E.mail: "csup" <csup@up.nic.in>, "csup" <csup@nic.in>, 6-      Director General of Police, Police Headquarters, No.1, TilakMarg, City Lucknow, Pin: 226001. Uttar Pradesh Ph: 0522-2206104 dgp@up.nic.in, "uppcc-up" <uppcc-up@nic.in>, "uppcc" <uppcc@up.nic.in>, 7-      District Magistrate, District Headquarters Shahjahanpur,Uttar Pradesh. E.mail: dmsha@up.nic.in 8- SP - District Shahjahanpur,Uttar Pradesh. spsha-up@nic.in Letter No. : TAHRIR/08/2015-16/150609hrdup        Date : 09-06-2015 ===================================================== Sub. : Urgent appeal Re. murderous assault leading to death of Shahjahanpur (UP) based journalist Jagendra Singh , a Human Rights Defender by the Uttar Pradesh minister Ram Moorti Verma, Inspector Sriprakash Rai of Uttar Pradesh Police and others. Sir/madam TAHRIR ( Transparency, Accountability & Human Rights initiative for revolution ) is a  Bareilly/Lucknow based Social Organization, working at grass-root level by taking up & solving issues related to strengthening transparency & accountability in public life and protection of Human Rights in India. We are now writing to express our grave concern regarding the murderous assault leading to death on Shahjahanpur-based journalist Jagendra Singh  (a Human Rights Defender) by the Uttar Pradesh minister Ram Moorti Verma, Inspector Sriprakash Rai of Uttar Pradesh Police and others. Source of Information on the Incident: •       Media reports The Human Rights Defender: Shahjahanpur (UP) based journalist Jagendra Singh , was a social media journalist. He had recently raised issues related to Uttar Pradesh minister Ram Moorti Verma’s alleged involvement in illegal  mining and forced occupation of land on social media. He was  a Human Rights Defender, taking up cased against corruption. The Perpetrators: Uttar Pradesh minister Ram Moorti Verma,  Inspector Sriprakash Rai of Uttar Pradesh Police and others. Date of Incident: 01st of June, 2015 Place of Incident: Awas Vikas Colony of Sadar Bazaar in the Shahjahanpur District of the Northern Indian State of Uttar Pradesh Incident detail: According to the sources, on the 01st of June 2015, the journalist sustained burn injuries during a raid by Inspector Sriprakash Rai at his house in Awas Vikas Colony of Sadar Bazaar in Shahajahanpur. A person named  Gufran said to be  an aide of the minister, was also said to be  present at that time. Background to the incident: The journalist was earlier attacked for exposing Uttar Pradesh minister Ram Moorti Verma’s alleged involvement in illegal  mining and forced occupation of land.This attack took place on April 28 near his house by the minister's goons but at the behest of the minister no action was taken in the said case by UP Police. Minister Verma was continuously terrorising him and his family  by his goons and also by police for his investigative reports and social media comments against the minister. Appeal : We, therefore urge you to immediately take necessary steps to ensure that the authorities •       Order an immediate, thorough, transparent, effective and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events of attempt on the life of journalist Jagendra Singh leading to death of this HRD. •       Take immediate action on the perpetrators for taking the life of journalist Jagendra Singh and using all provisions of law, ensure that the defender’s family members are not harassed or assaulted in future. •       Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Jagendra Singh’s family and others who are still under risk of further attacks from the perpetrators. •       Ensure provision of reparation, compensation, apology to the defenders for the physical and psychological sufferings they underwent because of the assault and provide a re-assurance of not  engaging  in such acts against HRDs such Jagendra Singh. •       Put an end to all acts of attack and harassment against all human rights defenders like Jagendra Singh in the State of Uttar Pradesh to ensure that in all circumstances they carry out their activities as defenders of human rights without any hindrances. •       Takes steps to conform to the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially: - Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels - Article 12.2, which provides that “"the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”; •       Recommend urgently and speedily during the pendency of this complaint, the SHRC in Uttar Pradesh to also take necessary steps to establish a state focal point for HRDs in order that HRDs in the have a new protection mechanism in their own state. •       Recommend urgently and speedily during the pendency of this complaint, the SHRC in Uttar Pradesh to convene a meetings of all state human rights institutions in the state [women, minorities, right to information, disability, children etc] to ensure that a co-ordinated strategy  is developed within the State of Uttar Pradesh for the protection of the rights of human rights defenders. •       Recommend urgently and speedily during the pendency of this complaint, the State Government of Uttar Pradesh in collaboration with the NHRC Focal Point on HRDs and the SHRC Uttar Pradesh to provide sensitization training to law enforcement and security forces on the role and activities of human rights defenders as a matter of priority, with technical advice and assistance from relevant United Nations entities, NGOs and other partners. •       Recommend urgently and speedily during the pendency of this complaint, the State Government of Uttar Pradesh in collaboration with the SHRC Uttar Pradesh to publicly acknowledge the importance and legitimacy of the work of human rights defenders, i.e. anyone who, “individually and in association with others, promote[s] and strive[s] for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels” (Art.1 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders). •       More generally, ensures in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international human rights instruments ratified by India. Looking forward to your immediate action in this regard, Yours sincerely, Sanjay Sharma سنجے شرما संजय शर्मा ( Founder & Chairman) Transparency, Accountability & Human Rights Initiative for Revolution ( TAHRIR ) 101,Narain Tower,F Block, Rajajipuram Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh-226017 Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/sanjay.sharma.tahrir.india Website :http://tahririndia.blogspot.in/ E-mail : tahririndia@gmail.com Twitter Handle : @tahririndia Mobile : 9369613513  TAHRIR ( Transparency, Accountability & Human Rights initiative for revolution ) is a Bareilly/Lucknow based Social Organization, working at grass-root level by taking up & solving issues related to strengthening transparency & accountability in public life and protection of Human Rights in India.   तहरीर (पारदर्शिता, जवाबदेही और मानवाधिकार क्रांति के लिए पहल  )  भारत में लोक जीवन में पारदर्शिता संवर्धन, जबाबदेही निर्धारण और आमजन के मानवाधिकारों के संरक्षण के हितार्थ  जमीनी स्तर पर कार्यशील संस्था  है  l