The Aequitas Victoria Newsletter

N O V E M B E R 1 5 , 2 02 0 Human Rights Law VOL.1,ISSUE4

KYRGYZ PRESIDENT DECLARES A FRESH ROUND OF “STATE EMERGENCY” IN BISHKEK,

SEVERELY CLAMPS DOWN PROTESTORS’ STANCE FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS
October 13, 2020: A spokesperson belonging
The protests managed to successfully lead The aftermath of this call for emergency
to the office of the Kyrgyz president,
a corruption-free agenda, prompting the has seen Human Rights Watch (HRW) issue
Sooroonbay Jeenbekov announced that a
parliament chairman and the rest of the an official statement calling for
“state of emergency” had been re-imposed in
ministers in Jeenbekov’s cabinet to resign constitutional safeguards in the country.
the capital city of Bishkek. The official reason
in the next few days. “Kyrgyz authorities have the requisite duty
provided for such a drastic step was in the
According to the decree which has been to protect their state subjects during such a
inadequacy of parliament action. The
signed by the president, the state of crisis, but the measure adopted must not
emergency that had been declared a week
emergency shall start off from 8:00 pm local be disparate with the aims it seeks to
back needed prompt discussion on the part
time on October 12th, and end at 7:00 am achieve. The authorities must ensure that
of the members of the parliament, the failure
sharp a week later on October emergency is in no way imposed in a
of which prompted the president to exercise
19th.Meanwhile, deputy interior minister manner that is discriminatory and
his discretionary powers.
Almazbek Orozaliev has been handed the threatening to the human rights of
The press service, held in the evening of
reins of commandant responsible for law residents”, the statement concluded.
October 12th elucidated that the emergency
and order enforcement in Bishkek in the
call was on account of “the prevalent
coming days. Sources:
situation of tenseness and anxiety, one that
Demonstrators have seized a lot of https://www.thehindu.com/news/interna
has the potential to fuel violence and
erstwhile government buildings, releasing tional/kyrgyzstan-president-declares-
offloadthe imp erative on public health,
former President Almazbek Atambev new-state-of-
administrative order and peace in the
from prison in the process. Atambev was emergency/article32840022.ece
region.”
serving an eleven-year-sentence for
The initial burst of emergency occurred due
alleged corruption since June this year.
to a spurt of protests in Bishkek which
Such a violent power struggle and dissent
wished a recalibration of the election results
from the public has thrown the state of
that were declared on the fourth of this
affairs into a heady mix.
month.

SAUDI ARABIA FALLS OUT OF FAVOUR BUT CHINA AND RUSSIA MAKE IT THROUGH THE
RUNGS OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
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October 14, 2020: China and Russia won the much coveted seats on the United
Nations Human Rights Council, despite cries of foul play being bellowed by
staunch member States committed to the cause of human rights protection.
The reason for such widespread opposition is on account of the dismal state of
human rights in the aforementioned countries, which has been further
exacerbated by the raging CoVid-19 pandemic.
What came as a real surprise though was the fact that Saudi Arabia, a
country that was tipped to occupy the third seat on offer, lost out to Cuba.
As the ballot procedure ensued, it was seen that Russia and Cuba were
running without any opposition. However, China and Saudi Arabia jostled in a
five way pecking order to occupy the last seat for the Council this year. Like
the previous ballot procedures, the 193-member strong U.N. General Assembly
saw a similar round of secret ballot fill-ins.
Pakistan received 169 votes, Uzbekistan 164, Nepal
150, China 139, while Saudi Arabia could only muster
90 votes. Back in 2016, the picture was not as grim
since Saudi Arabia had managed the second-highest
tally of 152 votes at that point of time.
The prime reason behind such a cold shoulder for
Saudi Arabia is on account of the targeting of human
rights defenders, dissidents and women rights
activists and on top of that, the killing of Washington
Post columnist and vehement Saudi Arabian critic
Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul
two years ago has not yet seen justice being meted
out.
This led to the opposition posed by Human Rights
Watch and Democracy for the Arab World Now,
among a slew of other human rights’ organizations.
Post the announcement of the results, Louis
Charbonneau, the UN Director at Human Rights
Watch summed up the reason for Saudi Arabia’s
exclusion from the Council: “Saudi Arabia’s failure to
win a seat at the Human Rights Council is a welcome
reminder of the need to call for wholesome
competition in the United Nations.”
Source:
https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/ne
ws/saudi-arabia-failed-to-win-a-seat-on-the-un-
human-rights-council-while-china-and-russia-
were-voted-in-with-ease/articleshow/78658877.cms

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Aequitas Victoria Newsletter

S E P T E M B E R 1 5 , 2 02 0 Human Rights Law VOL.1,ISSUE2

Protest in Poland over arrest of LGBT activist

August 9, 2020: A sea wave of protesters decked up in vibrant
LGBT colours gathered in the city of Warsaw raising their
voices against the arbitrary arrest of a transgender activist and
a champion of LGBT rights in the once war-torn country.
Malgorzata Szutowicz, better known by the nickname
“Margot”, had been arrested by the city police along with 48
others who had been detained as per official records.
Szutowicz, the founder of the “Stop Bzudrom”, which roughly
translates in English to “Stop the Nonsense”, has been the
cynosure for the conservative Polish government in rule. Her
recent acts of putting rainbow coloured flags all across the
city including statues of Jesus, churches and monuments of
public importance have been ostracized.
She has been placed in pre-trial detention for a period
extending up to two months on grounds of “civil
disobedience” and “banditry”. Acts which have caused such a
supposed arrest include the deflation of a van’s tires, which
was moving around with anti-LGBT messages such as
likening the dynamic LGBT community of the country to a
bunch of “pedophiles”.
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_ 29570.JPEG

Minister of Justice, Zbigniew Ziobro has firmly backed the action taken by the police as decisive and “appropriate”. Labeling the arrested
persons as criminals, he has asked for unison amidst members of the public to keep such “criminals” and “offenders” at bay, highlighting
the stance which the government in power holds giving rise to precarious societal upheavals.
Protesters feel irked by the fact that Szutowicz has been detained in a male-only center, raising serious concerns on gender fluidity and
transgender rights. The act of arrest and detention has been condemned by Dunija Mijatovic, who happens to be the Human Rights
Commissioner for the Council of Europe. Through a tweet, she has requested the Polish government for the immediate release of those
who have been arrested.
Source:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/08/09/world/protests-poland-lgbt/#.X0VAlsgzY2w

Scores of protestors gather outside Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission calling out
discrimination
August 21, 2020: An unprecedented crowd was seen Though Miss Hanson could not be reached for a public comment, other
leading protests in Halifax against the indecisiveness and members from the NSHRC made it known to the local print media that no
lack of action on the part of the Nova Scotia Human idea of resignation was on the cards. The Commission has strengthened its
Rights Commission (NSHRC). It has become a argument on the idea of “appropriate usage of resources” to tackle the
commonplace practice amongst members of the problems of the complainants and that it shall vow to fulfil its obligations
Commission to “drop the ball” and to ignore the needs under the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act.
of the victims of colour in one of the myriad sentiments
Source:
doing the rounds. https://globalnews.ca/news/7291571/humans-right-commission-protest-
The protesters had lined up in Spring Road, waiting for a halifax/
reply from the Commission office situated therein. The
main organisers of the protest, Black Nova Scotians have
been instrumental in raising the voices. However, the
constant troubles which the Commission presented
along with its apathy, has caused the 50-strong
contingent to stage a protest, human rights circles
believe.
Activist Angela Bowden, one of the harbingers of the
initiative, has made sensational remarks about the
complainants being re-victimised and scrutinised upon
the acceptance of their complaints by the members of
the Commission. She further went on to iterate that the
systems in place in Nova Scotia had only marginalised,
taxed and labelled the complainants and deviated from
the promised ends of justice. She has called for the swift
resignation of Christine Hanson, the President of
NSHRC.
To make matters worse, five complainants of colour had
their complaints dismissed by the Commission the day
before the protests. Some of them had allegedly been
thrown out of the office by the security personnel and
thus, they too made their presence felt in solidarity with
other victims.

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Aequitas Victoria Newsletter

A U G U S T 1 5 , 2 02 0 Human Rights Law VOL. 1, ISSUE 1

The Philippines’ Anti-Terrorism Act sparks debates among International Human Rights
circles
July 08, 2020: President Rodrigo Duterte introduced the 2020 Anti-
Terrorism Bill amidst great resentment in the country’s intellectual circles.
A revamped version of the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007, the
President has acceded to the military’s request which complained of the
HSA being an outdated piece of legislation to combat terrorism and
insurgency in the ravaged nation.
The new plan now enables the various levels of security forces to arrest
suspects without a legal warrant, hold them without charges for a longer
period of time and wire-tap them for a period extending up to 90 days. In
addition, there shall be an ‘anti-terror council’, the composition of which
shall also be laid down, in place to define what constitutes the acts of
terrorism.
Duterte’s move comes hot on heels after a United Nations report on
internal conflicts in the Philippines that singled him out for giving fuel to
incel violence and causing widespread human rights abuse, mostly during
the persistent war like situation on drug cartelling and usage, one in which
he made controversial statements about exterminating 100,000 people
and pardoning the police officers who decide to shoot the suspects dead.
IMAGE SOURCE: WWW.ONEINDIA.COM/IMG/2020/0 7/XASHOK-
GEHLOT2-1595506852.JPG.PAGESPEED.IC.JRN0OYHL2K.JPG

Amidst the meltdown, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Miss Michelle Bachelet Jeria had formally requested
Duterte to refrain from signing the document. Human Rights Watch has referred to the bill as a prospective promoter for “the systematic
targeting of political and military foes”. Amnesty International has been the most vocal of all the organizations, referring to Duterte’s
tactics as “outright horrifying” and stating that the potential of the bill is far-reaching, adding that it could “worsen attacks against human
rights defenders”.
Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque has solidified the stand of the President, explaining that Duterte had carefully studied the provisos in
depth before giving his assent.
Source:
Ana P. Santos, Philippine anti-terrorism law triggers fear of massive rights abuses, DW, https://www.dw.com/en/philippine-anti-
terrorism-law-triggers-fear-of-massive-rights-abuses/a-53732140
(Last accessed on 28th July, 2020 11:30 PM)

Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir presents final report on Lockdown trauma and
Arbitrary Detentions
July 23, 2020: The Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and
Those under arrest included three former chief ministers of the state –
Kashmir, which was set up in May, 2020 is co-chaired by
Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti –along with an
retired Supreme Court judge, Justice Madan B. Lokur and
expected 144 minors. The report rounds up by saying that even though a lot
Radha Kumar, one of the founders of the Group of
of them have since been released, around 400 remain in custody.
Interlocutors for Jammu and Kashmir. The forum is an
The forum report has called for downsizing the application of Section 144 to
intellectual and informal cluster of jurists, retired civil
select scenarios, to uphold the numerous humanitarian guidelines that had
servants, ex-military officers and human rights
previously been in place while the Cordon and Search Operations (CASO)
academicians. A report titled ‘The Impact of the
were on, that reasonable compensation must be provided to the citizens
Lockdowns on Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir,
who have been rendered homeless due to the ongoing nature of these
August 2019-July 2020’ has been prepared by the forum to
operations; a smooth passage for medical personnel and patient at the
identify the deep-rooted impact of the abrogation of
lockdown checkpoints, that the restoration of 4G internet and mobile
Article 370 as well as some recent internal developments in
services be looked into urgently and to reinstate all statutory oversight
the conflict-prone region.
bodies such as Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission and the
With reference to the 38,000 additional troops that were
Jammu and Kashmir Women and Child Rights Commission for the well-
flown in at the last minute to help in the successful
being of the people.
implementation of the lockdown, the report recounts the
Source:
ills of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure The Wire Staff, Report Flags Human Rights Violations During J&K
(CrPC) and the arbitrary detention of a section of the Lockdown, Seeks End to Curbs, The Wire,
populace, along with the elected legislators of erstwhile J & https://thewire.in/rights/jammu-and- kashmir-lockdown-human-rights-
K. The report extensively documents the various instances violations
of human rights violations under the heads of civilian
(Last accessed on 29th July, 2020 01:30 PM)
security, public health and industrial rights.
In addition to the above, the comprehensively formulated
report noted that the ensuing lockdown period has
witnessed mass detention of politicians and activists with a
count of 6,605 people, including “miscreants, stone-
pelters, over ground workers (OGWs), separatists”, having
been detained after August 4, 2019, in consonance with the
data that had been provided by the Ministry of Home
Affairs.444 out of the total number of detainees were
further booked under Jammu and Kashmir’s Public Safety
Act (PSA) of 1978.

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