Activities of Lawyers For Human Rights International

1. A two member delegation of Lawyers For Human Rights International is visiting New Zealand in June this year(2003) to open its New Zealand chapter and to build ties and form Public Opinion among different world communities against Death Penalty. Amar Singh Chahal, President and Arunjeev Singh Walia, Press Secretary of LFHRI will visit Auckland, Hemilton and Wellington and will meet representatives of non-governmental organisations carrying research on human rights issues. The organisation will also seek intervention of world states to impress upon the government of India to commute the death sentence upon Prof. Devender Pal Singh Bhullar who was ordered to be sent to gallows by the Supreme Court of India. The delegation would distribute literature and posters carrying information on the loss to the society, caused by the imposition of death penalty. Organisation working in the field have invited the delegation to public debates and interaction session.
2. Conducted an investigation into the custodial death of Dr.Amanjeet of Chandigarh on 8th August,2000 by a team of LFHRI comprising Arunjeev Singh Walia, Tejinder Singh Sudan, Manpreet Singh Chahal, Ravinder Singh, Yogesh Vinayak, P.K.S.Gill and released to the press on 18th August, 2000. Result: A Constable booked for murder and a PIL on behalf of the father of the victim filed in High Court. Notice of Motion issued.
3. Organised a Candle light procession on 10th December, 2000 in Plaza, Sector 17,Chandigarh, on the eve of World Human Rights Day. Distributed pamphlets containing human rights message.
4. Attended a World Conference on human rights held from 26th December, 2000 to 1st January, 2001 in Panchgani (Maharashtra). Organised a Session on State Repression on Punjab.
5. Conducted an investigation into the killing of Avtar Singh, son of Amrik Singh of Ludhiana on 7th January, 2001 by Inspector Gurmeet Singh “Pinky” by a team of LFHRI comprising Arunjeev Singh Walia, Ravinder Singh, Yogesh Vinayak, Mohinder Kumar. Result: Inspector Pinky alongwith seven other accused arrested and still in judicial custody. Trial under murder charge in progress in Ludhiana.
6. Conducted an investigation into the custodial death of Jaspal Singh, son of Gurmukh Singh in Morinda Police Station on 7th February, 2001 by a team of LFHRI comprising Arunjeev Singh Walia, Kulbir Singh Bains, Arvind Sandhu, P.K.S.Gill, Tejinder Singh Sudan, Ravinder Singh, Anil Kaushik,Bhupinder Singh, O.P.Dabla and others . Result: SHO Tarlochan Singh suspended and arrested alongwith three other accused. Murder charge framed against the accused. A PIL filed in the High Court on behalf of the mother of the victim also got notice of motion issued.
7. Conducted investigation into the suicide of Neha a college girl of Nabha, District Patiala who committed suicide out of humiliation suffered by her at the hands of Punjab police.
8. January 25, 2001 Showing Concern at the inconvenience to the commuters of state transport buses in boarding buses due to higher rungs of the entry and exit doors of buses, our organisation filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Court of Civil Judge, Chandigarh seeking directions to the State transport authorities for installing lower rungs on the entry and exit doors of the State transport buses. The said petition is still pending.
9. February 7, 2001 An investigation team of our organisation led by the Chandigarh President, Tejinder Singh Sudan went to Morinda, District Ropar where a dalit youth Jaspal Singh of village Saheri, P.S.Morinda, District Ropar, was tortured to death in Police Custody in Police Station Morinda. The villagers laid road blockade for two days and as a result of the joint efforts of our team and villagers, five accused including three policemen were booked for murder and arrested. Later on our organisation released its investigation report into the incident in a press conference in Chandigarh on February 10, 2001. Our organisation provided free legal aid to the victims family and filed a petition for CBI inquiry and compensation in the Punjab & Haryana High Court on behalf of the mother of the deceased. The Petition is still pending.
10. March 26, 2001: Taking serious note of the duping of many youth by unscrupulous travel agents in the infamous immigration racket reported by the media in April, 2001 our organisation filed a Petition in the High Court of Punjab & Haryana seeking a C.B.I. inquiry into the illegal immigration racket going on in Punjab. The High Court had issued notice to the State of Punjab. The Petition is still pending.
11. April 16, 2001 Our organisation released its investigation report into the incident of beating of a Ludhiana lawyer by the police, after a fact-finding team conducted investigation and found sufficient evidence of police highandedness. Mr. Ashok Lakhanpal, a Ludhiana based lawyer was manhandled by the Punjab police accompanying an accused who was lawyers client.
12. April 22, 2001: Our organisation released its first publication, “ WAILS OF INJUSTICE”criticising the dubious role of Central Bureau of Investigation and the Courts in dealing with the cases of police officers involved in human rights violations in the past. The copies of the book were distributed free of cost to the media as well as sent to the concerned authorities and the judges.
13. May 10, 2001 The Senior Vice-President of our organisation Mr. Balwant Singh Dhillon, based at Bathinda took the lead against Corruption and filed a Criminal Complaint under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, against the former Chief Minister, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal in the Court of Judicial Magistrate at Bathinda. The court finding prima facie against the accused summoned her to face prosecution for indulging in corrupt practises while in office as Chief Minister of the State of Punjab. The petition is still pending.
14. May 21, 2001 A team of our body led by the President, Amar Singh Chahal, went to Sangrur to investigate into an incident of lathi charge on unarmed lawyers by Punjab Police in the District Courts, Sangrur. The body condemned Police action and termed it as un-warranted and a case of Police highandedness. Later on the investigation report was released holding the Punjab police responsible for the assault and manhandling of lawyers.
15. June 19, 2001 An investigation team of our organisation led by the General Secretary, Navkiran Singh went to Nabha to inquire into the circumstances under which a college girl, Neha committed suicide on May 28, 2001. It was found by the team that the girl was humiliated and detained by a police party without the presence of any lady constable and taken to the Police Station and humiliated in front of her parents and not bearing the mental agony, she ended her life. After the organisation released its investigation report, three policemen involved in the incident were suspended and a case was registered against them.
16. July, 14, 2001 Adding feather to its cap, our organisation released its second Publication, “Genesis of State Terrorism in Punjab” authored by Arunjeev Singh Walia and Tejinder Singh Sudan. The book was released in a Press Conference in Chandigarh by Sh.Amar Singh Chahal, President. Justice Ajit Singh Bains(Retd.) presided over the function. The book was distributed free of cost to the media and many human rights activists. It has been widely appreciated and liked by every reader.
17. August 13, 2001 To oppose the sustained and vicious campaign of the tainted policemen to force the government to grant general amnesty for the human rights violations committed by them in the days of State terrorism, our organisation held a big rally in Sector 17, Chandigarh and warned the government of Punjab of serious repercussions in case such illegal demands of the guilty police personnel are considered. It was also demanded that all the medals and out of turn promotions granted to the tainted police officers for their so-called “bravery” should be immediately withdrawn. A comprehensive list of Punjab policemen involved in cases of human rights violations was also released to the press.
18. August 28, 2001 Mr. Arunjeev Singh Walia, Office Secretary represented our organisation in the World Conference against Racism, Racial discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerances held in Durban (South Africa). He remained there till the end of the World Conference and introduced our organisation to the non-governmental organisations across the world.
19. September 28, 2001 Showing deep concern at the repeated incidents of custodial deaths in the State of Punjab, our organisation filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Punjab & Haryana High Court seeking a status report of all incidents of custodial deaths that occurred in the State during the period 1997- August 2001. The Petition is still pending.
    
    
    

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