India strongly rebutted allegations by UN special rapporteur Gina Romero that young people in the country face retaliation or stigmatisation for speaking out on mental health and gender justice.
Urging fairness by the special rapporteur, who is also a Colombian human rights advocate, he said, “Chair, a mandate holder who relies on anonymous inputs to generalise for 1.4 billion people does a disservice to the very mandate she holds. In India, these freedoms, together with freedom of speech and expression, are guaranteed to every citizen under Article 19 of our Constitution, and are protected by an independent judiciary, a free press, and an empowered National Human Rights Commission,” Swarup said.
Perhaps that update escaped the special rapporteur’s attention,” he said. We urge this special rapporteur to verify before she vilifies and to bring the required rigour and fairness in her reports,” he said. Earlier reporting noted: In a statement delivered at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Third Committee during an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, First Secretary Anuj Swarup said India’s Constitution guarantees these freedoms to every citizen.
The Indian diplomat at the UN argued that the report failed to reflect the realities of the civic population in India, highlighting the young people’s involvement in political movements and their interactions with senior government officials. “Ironically, the same report notes that young Indians created a satirical political movement. In which repressive state does a satirical youth party question the government, marches on the capital, and then sits across the table with senior national leaders? Swarup also mentioned a statement made by UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk in September. “The High Commissioner for Human Rights stated in the Human Rights Council last month that dialogue with young leaders is far more effective in the context of youth-led movements in India.
Earlier reporting noted: India also challenged the report’s assessment of civic space for young people in India, citing their participation in political movements and engagement with senior government leaders. Earlier reporting noted: “India takes note of the report of the special rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
“In India, these freedoms, together with freedom of speech and expression, are guaranteed to every citizen under Article 19 of our Constitution, and are protected by an independent judiciary, a free press, and an empowered National Human Rights Commission,” Swarup said in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. It is hearsay, dressed up as a UN report, and my delegation rejects it outright,” Swarup further said. Delivering India’s statement at the 81st Session of the UNGA Third Committee, first secretary Anuj Swarup defended the country’s constitutional safeguards for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, calling the report’s approach arbitrary. “A sweeping charge against the world’s largest youth population resting on anonymous and unverified claims is not evidence.
