BeyondHeadlines News Desk
On 16 September 2013, human rights defender Mr Azimuddin Sarkar was physically assaulted by medical staff during a visit to a hospital to document the testimony of a victim of police torture. Azimuddian Sarkar is a District Monitor in Murshidabad District, West Bengal state, for MASUM, a non-governmental human rights organisation based in Howrah, Kolkata, West Bengal.
On 16 September, around 3:30 pm, the human rights defender arrived at Lalbagh Sub Divisional Hospital, in order to record the statement of a victim of police torture and photographically document the signs of torture or ill-treatment on his body. The victim in question had been beaten in police custody after his arrest during skirmishes in the village of Durgapur.
As the human rights defender was speaking to the torture victim, he was suddenly pinned down by several members of the hospital staff who then punched, kicked and slapped him in front of the public while verbally abusing him. He was also threatened if he was seen at the hospital again. They then locked him in the ward master’s room, where he was again beaten. Azimuddin Sarkar did, however, manage to make a phone call to MASUM’s offices. Once MASUM staff had contacted the police at Lalbagh Police Station, eventually Azimuddin Sarkar was released at around 4 pm.
Azimuddin Sarkar has in the past repeatedly been targeted with police threats and intimidation. Reports of this latest incident indicate that the assault on Azimuddin Sarkar is likely to be the direct result of his activities investigating cases of torture by the police, and that local authorities were involved.
Front Line Defenders is concerned at the news that Azimuddin Sarkar is still being targeted with assault and intimidation. Front Line Defenders previously issued an urgent appeal on death threats and intimidation against Azimuddin Sarkar and his family by a group of thugs, which local police were extremely reluctant to take any action on.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in India to:
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Carry out a thorough, impartial and immediate investigation into the assault on human rights defender Azimuddin Sarkar with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
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Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Azimuddin Sarkar, as well as of the members of his family;
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Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in India are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including police harassment.
