AI INDEX: ASA 20/026/2003 19 September 2003 |
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AMNESTY
INTERNATIONAL
PRESS
RELEASE
AI
Index: ASA
20/026/2003 (Public)
News
Service No: 217
19 September
2003
Embargo Date: 19 September
2003
00:01
GMT
India: Limited and dangerous proposals to reform the criminal justice
In a report commenting on recommendations made by the Malimath Committee to the government in April this year, Amnesty International has highlighted the fact that they ignore international human rights standards which establish a framework for human rights protection within criminal justice systems throughout the world, and also fails to address a vast range of important concerns about the current functioning of the criminal justice system in India.
"The discriminatory functioning of the criminal justice system has not been properly addressed. Instead, the Committee's proposals risk further discrimination and miscarriages of justice".
Six days ago the Supreme Court of India severely criticised the state government of Gujarat for failing to provide justice to victims of communal violence which took place there in 2002. It also pointed to the possibility of collusion between the Government and the prosecution in subverting the cause of justice. The Committee's proposed reforms do not address such situations which involve institutional discrimination and bias.
The report in particular identifies recommendations which Amnesty International believes will increase the risk of torture for those in police detention, severely weakening safeguards for fair trial and reduce legal protections for women.
For the full text of the report, please go to:
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engasa200252003
Public
Document
****************************************
For
more information please call Amnesty International's press
office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty
International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org/
For
latest human rights news view http://news.amnesty.org/
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