Assault & intimidation in Gujarat - former mayor of Baroda attacked: press release from Anhad

URGENT RELEASE

Anhad had organised a press conference on September 29, 2009 to bring in front of the media the illegal detention, torture in a private farm house of five young men in Vadodara by the Vadodara Police headed by the Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana.

The delegation of parents/ relatives accompanied by Mohd Bhai Vora (former deputy mayor of Vadodara) and Yusuf Shaikh addressed the media in Delhi, met NHRC and National Minority Commission. Following the complaint National Minority Commission sent its member Dr Bengalee to Gujarat and she met the officials in Gandhinagar to take up the issue of illegal detention and torture.

Yusuf Shaikh and Mohdbhai were receiving threats through the ‘mukhbirs’ and other sources to stop raising these issues.

Today Mohdbhai Vora was attacked brutally around 12.30pm. We have come to understand that the police is using miscreant elements from within the community to organize these threats and attacks.

The earlier press release is attached with this for reference.

I request you to urgently intervene and take action to stop this harassment and attacks on human rights defenders.

Shabnam Hashmi
Social activist, Member, National Integration Council
New Delhi

2.00pm, October 11, 2009



[For Reference]

[The below release from Anhad is also available at:
http://www.anhadin.net/article87.html

PRESS RELEASE -September 29, 2009
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