India defends Stan Swamy’s handling, refutes criticism after his death

[ad_1]

Earlier on Tuesday, the UN issued a statement urging the Indian government not to detain citizens for exercising their basic rights.

India on Tuesday rejected growing international criticism over the handling of the case of Father Stan Swamy, a sub-trial who died on Monday, saying the authorities concerned are acting against violations of the law and are not restricting the legitimate exercise of rights. The Foreign Ministry said India remains committed to promoting and protecting the human rights of all its citizens and that the country’s democratic regime is complemented by an independent judiciary and a series of national and state commissions. human rights.

Stan Swamy, who was arrested last year under the Illegal Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the Elgar Parishad case, died in a Mumbai hospital on Monday. Noting that Father Stan Swamy has been arrested and detained by the National Investigation Agency in accordance with due process provided by law, the ministry said that due to the specific nature of the charges against him, his requests for bail were rejected by the courts.

Read: Release all detainees without sufficient legal basis: UN informs India after Stan Swamys death

“The Indian authorities are acting against violations of the law and not against the legitimate exercise of rights. All of these actions are strictly in accordance with the law,” said Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the MEA.

His comments came in response to questions from the media about Stan Swamy’s passing.

Given Father Stan Swamy’s fragile health, the Bombay High Court allowed his medical treatment at a private hospital where he had been receiving all possible medical treatment since May 28, Bagchi said.

The MEA spokesperson said Swamy’s health and medical treatment were closely monitored by the courts and that he died on July 5 from medical complications.

“India’s democratic and constitutional regime is complemented by an independent judiciary, an array of national and state human rights commissions that monitor violations, a free media and a vibrant and vocal civil society,” said Bagchi.

“India remains committed to the promotion and protection of the human rights of all its citizens,” he added.

Previously, the United Nations human rights body said it was “deeply saddened and disturbed” by the death of an 84-year-old activist in pre-trial detention.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and independent UN experts have repeatedly raised the cases of Swamy and 15 other human rights defenders with the Indian government over the past three years and demanded their release, he said.

“We are deeply saddened and disturbed by the death yesterday in Mumbai of Father Stan Swamy, 84, a human rights defender and Jesuit priest, following his arrest in October 2020 under the Indian Law on Illegal Activities (Prevention ) “, Liz Throssell, said the spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“Father Stan has been in pre-trial detention without bail since his arrest, charged with terrorism-related offenses in connection with protests dating back to 2018,” she said in a statement.

[ad_2]