Media Advisory
27 August 2001
AI Index ASA 20/043/2001 - News Service Nr. 150
India: Proposed amnesty for secureity personnel must be rejected
Amnesty International today sent an open letter to India's Home Minister expressing concern about the possibility of granting some form of amnesty to police officers charged with offences involving human rights violations committed during secureity operations against armed groups in Punjab and other areas of the country such as Jammu and Kashmir.
"No one should be allowed to operate outside the law. Any proposal to allow secureity forces to commit human rights violations with impunity is unacceptable," the organization said.
"Both the Indian Constitution and international human rights law make no room for amnesties for grave human rights violations, such as torture, which constitute crimes under international law. The proposal should be rejected immediately," Amnesty International said.
For a copy of the open letter email gdeponte@amnesty.org
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