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From
"SAFHR" <south@safhr.wlink.com.np>
Date
Sat, 16 Oct 1999 14:36:14 +0530
Dear Friends,
Enclosed is an appeal issued by Amnesty International. Kindly take immediate
action.
SAFHR
Kathmandu
Nepal
Concern for safety of Peer Noor ul Haq
Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of Peer Noor ul Haq, who
has reportedly been threatened with death for agreeing to testify against
police officers allegedly responsible for deaths in custody in Srinagar,
summer capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Peer Noor ul Haq was arrested by police on 19 June 1999, after he lodged a
complaint of bribery against police officers including Deputy Superintendent
(DSP) Abdul Rashid Khan. He was detained for 10 days, during which time he
was reportedly tortured with electric shocks, severe beatings, having a
heavy
weight rolled up and down his thighs and being hung upside down for long
periods.
On the night of 23 June two men arrested by DSP Khan, Ghulam Matto and Javid
Shah, were put into the same cell as Peer Noor ul Haq, and he heard
screaming from another cell which he took to be the sound of a third man
arrested by DSP Khan, Nazir Gilkar, being tortured. Shortly after the
screaming stopped DSP Khan came and took away Ghulam Matto and Javid Shah.
Neither man was seen alive
again, and their bodies were recovered in a village in Baramula District, 70
miles away. Nazir Gilkar?s body was recovered from Dal Lake. A case has been
brought against police officers for the killing of Ghulam Matto, Javid Shah
and Nzir Gilkar but not against DSP Khan.
After he was released, Peer Noor ul Haq went to the Srinagar Medical Centre
to get treatment for the injuries he had received in custody. While he was
there DSP Khan threatened to kill him if he testified in the case of the
custodial deaths. Later Peer Noor ul Haq made a submission to the State
Human Rights
Commission concerning his alleged illegal detention and recorded the threat
by DSP Abdul Rashid Khan. Justice G A Kuchhai, Chairperson of the State
Human Rights Commission, issued an order dated 21 August 1999 that Peer Noor
ul Haq should not come to harm or be subject to harrassment and that
security cover should be provided to him, but to date this protection has
not been provided. Khan apparently later made the same threat to Peer Noor
ul Haq?s brother-in-law.
Amnesty International?s concerns for the safety of Peer Noor ul Haq are
heightened by reports that DSP Khan has been implicated in other cases of
torture, death in custody and "disappearance" and is currently suspended
from duty pending the outcome of an inquiry into a rape case.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/faxes/express/airmail letters
-urging the authorities to immediately guarantee the safety of Peer Noor
ulHaq, who has allegedly been threatened with death by a Deputy
Superintendent of the Police in Srinagar;
- urging the authorities to immediately order an independent inquiry into
these
allegations;
- urging the authorities to give a commitment that people will be free to
raise
complaints against the police and act as witnesses in cases which involve
complaints against the police without fear of harrassment, and that action
wil be taken against anyone interfering with those activities.
APPEALS TO:
Mr Sardar Gurbachan Jagat
Director General of Police
Office of the DGP
Police Headquarters
Srinagar
India
Salutation: Dear Director General
Mr Justice Bhavani Singh
Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir
High Court of Jammu & Kashmir
Srinagar
India
Faxes: + 91 194 452 280
Salutation: Dear Chief Justice
Lal Krishna Advani
Minister of Home Affairs
North Block,
New Delhi 110 001, India
Telegrams: Home Minister, New Delhi, India
Faxes: + 91 11 301 5750
Salutation: Dear Minister
COPIES TO:
Dr Farooq Abdullah
Office of the Chief Minister
Raj Bhavan
Srinagar/Jammu
India
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
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