India snubs Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for commenting on Teesta Setalvad’s arrest

In a strong statement by the Ministry of External Affairs over “a comment” by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) against the arrest of controversial rights activist Teesta Setalvad by Gujarat Police, India has termed the disparaging remarks as “completely unwarranted”.

India dubbed this comment as constituting “an interference in India’s independent judicial system”.

“We’ve seen a comment by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding legal action against Teesta Setalvad & 2 other persons. The remarks are completely unwarranted & constitute interference in India’s independent judicial system," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a statement.

“Authorities in India act against violations of law strictly in accordance with established judicial processes. Labeling such legal actions as persecution for activism is misleading and unacceptable,” Bagchi added.

Bagchi was responding to media queries on the said comment.

Earlier, the Working Group on Human Rights in India and the UN (WGHR) had condemned Setalvad’s arrest a day after the Supreme Court had rejected all claims of impropriety in the investigation of riots that followed the Godhara incident conducted by an SIT as alleged by Zakia Jafri, the appellant in the case.

“As India is to appear before the UN Human Rights Council for its fourth review under the UN’s Universal Periodic Review in November 2022, the Government will be required to respond to the comments and recommendations from UN member states on the issue of Human Rights Defenders,” WGHR said in a release.

“WGHR calls for the immediate release of its member Teesta Setalvad. It also calls for the release of R.B. Sreekumar, and Sanjiv Bhatt. The systematic targeting of human rights defenders by the Indian state must stop. Reprisals against defenders and civil society organisations conducting legitimate human rights work are completely unacceptable and incompatible in a constitutional democracy and in breach of India’s international law obligations,” it added.

Also, Mary Lawlor, U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, had said: “Deeply concerned by reports of Teesta Setalvad being detained by the Anti Terrorism Squad of Gujarat Police. Teesta is a strong voice against hatred and discrimination. Defending human rights is not a crime. I call for her release and an end to persecution by the Indian state.”

With inputs from agencies

Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .