Arbitrary arrests and judicial harassment of members of Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights
On 1 April 2020, police arrested the secretary of Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights, T Shadishkanta, at his home without producing a warrant. The following day, the organisation’s president, Kh Phajaton, was detained in a similar manner, without being informed of the charges levied against him. Both human rights defenders have been released on bail but remain under investigation.
Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR) was established in 2016. The organisation has been on the forefront of the human rights movement in the seven sister states of the north-east region of India. They actively work on the rights of indigenous peoples, women and children, as well as on issues of climate justice and environmental rights. The group has also been advocating against the unsustainable development projects that have been springing up in the region.
On 9 February 2022, the Manipur High Court quashed the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Porompat Police against human rights defenders associated with the Youth Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR).
The Secretary of YFPHR, Takhenchangbam Shadishkanta, and the President Khangjrakpam Phajaton, had been arrested by the police in April 2020 under Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act of 2005, which deals with refusal to comply with directions given by governmental bodies; and under Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code, concerning criminal conspiracy. The human rights defenders were targeted because of a published article that opposed the government’s proposal to set up a quarantine centre in a paddy field, as it might have posed a threat to the livelihoods of the residents in that area. In the article, YFPHR suggested an alternative site for the quarantine centre: a vast unused piece of land known as the Koirengei Airfield.
The Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court dismissed the FIR filed against the human rights defenders, calling it an abuse of power and considering it unsustainable on technical grounds and merits. The court also called upon the police to use discretion and caution in the discharge of their duties and warned them not to resort to abuses of law.
On 1 April 2020, police arrested the secretary of Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights, T Shadishkanta, at his home without producing a warrant. The following day, the organisation’s president, Kh Phajaton, was detained in a similar manner, without being informed of the charges levied against him. Both human rights defenders have been released on bail but remain under investigation.
Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR) was established in 2016. The organisation has been on the forefront of the human rights movement in the seven sister states of the north-east region of India. They actively work on the rights of indigenous peoples, women and children, as well as on issues of climate justice and environmental rights. The group has also been advocating against the unsustainable development projects that have been springing up in the region.
On 1 April 2020, at 10pm, Imphal East police officials arrested YFPHR’s secretary T Shadishkanta at his home, in the absence of an official arrest warrant. On the following day, Kh Phajaton, the organisation’s president, was also detained without being informed of the reason for his arrest. Upon detention, both human rights defenders were asked to sign arrest memos that did not include details of the time and place of arrest.
Later on 2 April, the human rights defenders were informed that a suo-motu case was registered against them under Section 51 of the Disaster management act of 2005, which deals with refusal to comply with directions given by governing bodies; and under section 120B of the Indian Penal Code, which concerns criminal conspiracy. Both defenders were produced before the Link Magistrate at 9:30pm and released after paying a surety bond of INR 30,000 (approximately 360 euros) each. They remain under investigation.
Other YFPHR staff believe that the organisation and its members are being targeted for an article they released opposing the government’s proposal to set up a quarantine center in a paddy field, as it might pose a threat to the livelihood of the people of the area. In the article, the group suggested an alternative site for the quarantine center, a vast unused piece of land known as the Koirengei Airfield.
Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned about the arbitrary arrests and judicial harassment of members of the Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights. It believes that the human rights defenders are being targeted solely as a result of their peaceful human rights activities and their exercise of the right to freedom of expression.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in India to:
1. Immediately cease the investigation and close the case against Kh Phajaton and T Shadishkanta, as Front Line Defenders believes that they are being targeted solely as a result of their legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights;
2. Guarantee in all circumstances that 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 judicial harassment.
