New Delhi: National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance while issuing notice to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Home Secretary, Centre and Delhi government seeking their response on the allegations levelled by the Amnesty International which claimed that it is being subjected to an 'incessant witch-hunt' over unfounded and motivated allegations by the Indian government stating that the international NGO has been receiving foreign funds illegally.
According to media reports, Amnesty International said that it is halting all its activities in India due to freezing of its accounts.
Amnesty India said that the organisation has been compelled to let go of staff in India and pause all its ongoing campaign and research work.
The news report gives more details stating that on October 22, 2019, Amnesty International testified at the US Congressional Hearing on Human Rights in South Asia, with a specific focus on Jammu and Kashmir after the Indian Parliament on August 5 pushed through constitutional changes that divested Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and reorganised it into two Union Territories.
On August 28, the rights groups released an investigative brief on the complicity of the Delhi Police in February 2020. Amnesty International had claimed that 53 people had died in the riot while Delhi Police rebutted the claim saying that the report was lopsided, biased and malicious.
Read:| Amnesty International's statements far from truth: MHA
The Amnesty International has reportedly accused the government of suppressing the speech and demanded the release of activists Rona Wilson, Shoma Sen, Sudha Bhardwaj, Surendra Gadling and others who were arrested in connection with the January 2018 caste clashes in Bhima-Koregaon near Pune in Maharashtra.
It is also mentioned in the news report that this is the fifth time when Amnesty International is closing down its office in India.
The Union Home Ministry has reportedly mentioned in its statement that the stand taken by the Amnesty International is unfortunate, exaggerated and far from the truth. The organization has been accused of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) violations, and “interference in domestic police debates” despite being funded by foreign donations. The rights group has reportedly denied the financial violations charges and has stated that they have been in full compliance with all laws.
It is further mentioned in the news report that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been investigating the rights group since October 2018 when they raided its office in Bengaluru and the accounts of the organisation were frozen.
In the year 2019, the Income Tax Department wrote to the office bearers of the organisation seeking their clarifications on the subject.
It is also mentioned that in November 2019, CBI has filed a case against the Amnesty International alleging that it has received Rs. 36 crore in funding without the mandatory permission required under the FCRA. The Investigative Agencies have also reportedly alleged that the fundraising model of Amnesty International India violated FCRA that amounts to money laundering. The organisation has also been blamed for its activities which are in clear contravention of laid down Indian laws. The organisation has reportedly stated that their harassment by the government is a result of their unequivocal calls for transparency in the government, more recently for accountability of the Delhi Police and the Government of India regarding the grave human rights violations in Delhi riots and in Jammu and Kashmir.
Read:| Amnesty halts India operations, cites freezing of accounts on 'unfounded' allegations
The charges of the organisation have however been denied by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging that the organisation was raising funds from abroad in contravention of the Indian laws. They have also stated that there has been shifting money transfer to the companies and there is suspected flow of money into the trust of Amnesty International.
The Commission has carefully examined the contents of the news report. The Amnesty International is a reputed non-governmental organization raising its voice globally whenever there is an incident of violation of human rights of the people. The allegations levelled by the organisation are serious in nature and have been strongly answered by the government agency. Any kind of difference of opinion may be a subject of investigation and decision by the competent court. The Commission finds it necessary to go through the matter, analyse the facts and reach a conclusion in the interest of human rights friendly environment in the country.
The response is expected within six weeks.
