London, 14 September: Amnesty International has urged Indian authorities to carry out
an effective investigation into a video clip that appears to show
detainees in Kashmir being stripped and humiliated by security forces.
The three-minute clip, described on social networking sites as
"Kashmir’s Abu Ghraib video", apparently shows Jammu and Kashmir police
and Central Reserve Police Force personnel herding at least four naked
young men to a nearby police station.
"This behaviour is in clear violation of the universal and
absolute right to freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment," said Donna Guest, Deputy Director of
Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific programme.
The video, apparently recorded by one of the security personnel, has
since been removed from social networking sites, including Facebook and
YouTube, after the Jammu and Kashmir police reportedly began legal
action against the publishers of what it termed a “baseless and
malicious clip”.
It is unclear when the clip was recorded, although it was reportedly taken in the north-western town of Sopore.The recorded conversation in Hindi-Urdu suggests that the security
force personnel suspected the young men of being involved in throwing
stones at the security forces, and that they had been caught after a
long chase.
Amnesty International has consistently received reports of torture
and other ill-treatment of detainees in various police stations and
interrogation centres in Jammu and Kashmir. Such accounts have often
included men being stripped naked and humiliated by security force
personnel.
The Indian Parliament is currently debating new legislation
criminalising torture and the Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram has
said the video will be investigated.
However, a statement by Jammu and Kashmir Police to local media
indicated that a formal case had been registered against the clip's
distributors.
“The approach of the local police raises serious concerns. Instead of
investigating and identifying the perpetrators of the humiliating
treatment, the police appear to be more concerned about who uploaded and
circulated the video clip," said Donna Guest.
"The Indian and Jammu and Kashmir authorities must ensure that the
content of the clip is subjected to an independent, impartial and
effective investigation. Any officials who are suspected of offences
involving human rights violations should be prosecuted in fair trials. (Writer-South Asia)
