INDIA: A group of human rights defenders in Tamil Nadu illegally arrested by the Cuddalore police

Dear friends,

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Just as the following urgent appeal was being issued, and after the issue of the AHRC statement (AS-37-2004: INDIA: Release illegally detained human rights defenders at once), the AHRC received the news that Mr. Henri Tiphagne and his colleagues were released from detention on a preventive detention order under section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code of India.

The preventive detention order is clearly intended just for the police officers involved to cover themselves and further intimidate human rights defenders. The AHRC calls on you to write letters and make phone calls demanding that all charges against the concerned persons be dropped and that the police officers involved in this incident be subjected to full and independent disciplinary inquires without delay.
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The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that 16 prominent human rights defenders including Mr. Henri Tiphagne, executive director of People’s Watch-Tamil Nadu, have been illegally arrested by the Cuddalore police while they were conducting a human rights training program this morning (11 October 2004). They are currently detained at the Cuddalore Town Hall Police Station.

The arrestees have not been charged or given the First Information Report (FIR) at the time of drafting this appeal (8:15pm Hong Kong time, 11 October 2004). AHRC managed to reach Mr. Henri Tiphagne over the phone and learned that they he and the group has not been informed of reason for their arrest, and have not seen any document related to their arrest.

The AHRC requests you to intervene into this matter immediately by making phone calls to the local authorities. Contact information of the local authorities are:

1. Director General of Police (DIG), Mr. Govind, at +91-44-28447777/7755 (Office)
2. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Jangid at his mobile +91-9444047470 / +91-44-28447777/7755 (Office)
3. Additional Director General of Police (ADIG), Mr. Rajendran at +91-44-28114410 (Office)/ +91-44-28516060 (Home)
4. Superintendent of Police, Mr. Prem Kumar at his mobile phone at +91-98-42334999 / +91-44-230060 (Office)/ +91-44-215161 (Home)
5. Director General-Investigation of the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Santosh Kumar at+91-11-23348475

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Name of the victim: 1) Mr. Henri Tiphagne, executive director of People’s Watch-Tamil Nadu, 2) Mr. Nizamudeen, State General Secretary of Federation of Consumer Organisations Tamilnadu (FEDCOT), 3) other 14 human rights defenders in Tamil Nadu including Mr. Balki and Mr. Murugappan
Alleged perpetrators: 1) Mr. Prem Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Cuddalore, 2) Mr. Payas Ferozkhan Abdullah, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Cuddalore, 3) a group of policemen led by Mr. Payas Ferozkhan
Date of the illegal arrest: At around 10:00am of 11 October 2004
Place of illegal detention: Cuddalore New Township Police Station

Case details:

At around 10:00am of 11 October 2004, 16 human rights defenders including Mr. Henri Tiphagne, executive director of People’s Watch-Tamil Nadu, were arrested by the Cuddalore police led by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr. Payas Ferozkhan Abdullah while they are conducting a human rights training program on the campaign against torture.

According to the information received, Mr. Henri Tiphagne along with a group of human rights activists, gathered at the venue of a human rights training program at Cuddalore. When the training was about to start at 9:30am, a group of policemen headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr. Payas Ferozkhan Abdullah forcibly entered the training hall and interrupted the training program.

When Mr. Henri Tiphagne, an organizer of the program, asked the police for the reason for their entry into the hall, the police told him that they were ordered by Superintendent of Police, Mr. Prem Kumar, to prevent a press meeting being held. A press meeting was scheduled following the morning program, regarding the numerous human rights violations committed by Mr. Prem Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Cuddalore. Even though Mr. Henri Tiphagne explained the police that the press meeting would be held in the afternoon and that he wanted to conduct the training program as scheduled, the policemen ignored his words, and tried to disrupt the program. The police further requested Mr. Henri Tiphagne to cancel the program and the press meeting.

Facing the police’s unlawful action to interrupt their program, Mr. Henri Tiphagne and the other human rights defenders voiced slogans criticizing the illegal activities of the police. The police then warned them that they would be arrested if they continued to shout slogans. When Mr. Henri Tiphagne demanded the police to show a warrant of the arrest, the policemen led by Deputy Superintendent arrested Mr. Henri Tiphagne and 15 other human rights defenders forcefully and took them to the Cuddalore Town Hall Police Station, where they are currently being detained.

According to the latest information received, the police have not charged against those arrested. When Mr. Henri Tiphagne was reached, he informed that up to now the only official reason of their arrest given by the police is that they prevented a computer training program for women police constables being conducted by occupying the hall for their training program.

People’s Watch Tamil Nadu believes that the action by the police against the human rights defenders is a well planned act to take revenge on Mr. Henri Tiphagne of his involvement in getting Mr. Prem Kumar convicted on a human rights violation case of an ex-army Subedhar Mr. Nallakamu. In this earlier case, Mr. Prem Kumar was convicted and ordered to pay Rs. 10,000 penalty to Gandhi Museum. Accordingly, Mr. Prem Kumar was also suspended from Election Commission during the recent Parliamentary Election.

The AHRC is deeply concerned by the illegal arrest and detention of human rights defenders in Tamil Nadu by the Cuddalore police. The AHRC urges the government of India to intervene urgently to release the arrested people immediately, and take strong legal/disciplinary action against Superintendent Mr. Prem Kumar and other police officers who were involved in this matter.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please make a phone call and send a letter to the local authorities requesting immediate release of the arrested human rights defenders.

(**PLEASE AMEND THE SAMPLE LETTER DEMANDING THAT ALL CHARGES AGAINST THE CONCERNED PERSONS BE DROPPED.)

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER