1. Rajeev Sharma, an electrician, was detained by police on suspicion of burglary and died in police custody the next day. His family alleges he was beaten to death by police, while police claim he committed suicide.
2. Torture and custodial deaths are common in India, with over 1,300 reported deaths in police and judicial custody in 2002 according to government data. Police are often not held accountable and operate in a climate of impunity where torture is seen as a routine method of extracting confessions.
3. While India has signed the UN Convention Against Torture, it has not ratified it, and police continue to use torture methods like beatings with belts to extract confessions
Perceptions of the Social Consequences of Rape in EzinihitteMbaise, Imo State...AJHSSR Journal
Rape is a criminal act of obtaining sexual consent or submission forcefully or by use of threat.
In many places, the scar of rape is perceived to be permanent and the female victims are usually stigmatized.
The paper examined the perceptions of the social consequences of rape in Ezinihitte-Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria.
The paper is anchored on feminist theory, Marxian theory and rational choice theory. The sample size and study
participants were 324 adult residents of the area. They were selected using multi-stage sampling procedure and
purposive sampling technique. Questionnaire and In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) were the quantitative and
qualitative instruments of data collection used in the study. Quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical
Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and interpreted in tables of frequency/percentage distributions.
Transcription of the recorded electronic and field note interviews provided data for the qualitative analysis. The
result amongst others revealed that 20.3% of the respondents were of the view that stigmatization; withdrawal
from social activities (18.6%), delay in getting married (25.2%) were notable social consequences of rape.
However, the paper concluded that stigmatization or possible avoidance of marrying rape victims sustains the
trauma and would also serve as a secondary victimization. It therefore recommended amongst others that
government in partnership with NGO's should embark on adequate sensitization campaigns in rural areas to
discourage stigmatization and thereby reorientate many on the wrong notion that rape scar remains with the
victims for life. Females should avoid walking unaccompanied in the night and visiting of acquaintances at
lonely places.
Le prix Ludovic Trarieux 2016 a été décerné à l'avocate chinoise Wang Yu, membre du cabinet Fengrui (Chine), déjà honoré par le prix des droits de l'homme 2015 du C.C.B.E.
RAPPORT 2013 DU DEPARTEMENT D'ETAT SUR LA SITUATION DE DROITS HUMAINS EN HAITIStanleylucas
Chaque année le Département d'Etat des Etats Unis publie en Février son rapport annuel sur la situation des droits humains dans chaque pays sur la planète. Cette année, Février 2014, Haiti fait partie de ce rapport comme a l'accoutume. Le rapport note les progrès enregistres dans le domaine des droits humains en Haiti et mentionne les cas de violations individuels de droits humains. Le rapport identifie les déficiences des institutions étatiques et fait des recommandations specifiques sur ce qu'il faut améliorer.
Perceptions of the Social Consequences of Rape in EzinihitteMbaise, Imo State...AJHSSR Journal
Rape is a criminal act of obtaining sexual consent or submission forcefully or by use of threat.
In many places, the scar of rape is perceived to be permanent and the female victims are usually stigmatized.
The paper examined the perceptions of the social consequences of rape in Ezinihitte-Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria.
The paper is anchored on feminist theory, Marxian theory and rational choice theory. The sample size and study
participants were 324 adult residents of the area. They were selected using multi-stage sampling procedure and
purposive sampling technique. Questionnaire and In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) were the quantitative and
qualitative instruments of data collection used in the study. Quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical
Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and interpreted in tables of frequency/percentage distributions.
Transcription of the recorded electronic and field note interviews provided data for the qualitative analysis. The
result amongst others revealed that 20.3% of the respondents were of the view that stigmatization; withdrawal
from social activities (18.6%), delay in getting married (25.2%) were notable social consequences of rape.
However, the paper concluded that stigmatization or possible avoidance of marrying rape victims sustains the
trauma and would also serve as a secondary victimization. It therefore recommended amongst others that
government in partnership with NGO's should embark on adequate sensitization campaigns in rural areas to
discourage stigmatization and thereby reorientate many on the wrong notion that rape scar remains with the
victims for life. Females should avoid walking unaccompanied in the night and visiting of acquaintances at
lonely places.
Le prix Ludovic Trarieux 2016 a été décerné à l'avocate chinoise Wang Yu, membre du cabinet Fengrui (Chine), déjà honoré par le prix des droits de l'homme 2015 du C.C.B.E.
RAPPORT 2013 DU DEPARTEMENT D'ETAT SUR LA SITUATION DE DROITS HUMAINS EN HAITIStanleylucas
Chaque année le Département d'Etat des Etats Unis publie en Février son rapport annuel sur la situation des droits humains dans chaque pays sur la planète. Cette année, Février 2014, Haiti fait partie de ce rapport comme a l'accoutume. Le rapport note les progrès enregistres dans le domaine des droits humains en Haiti et mentionne les cas de violations individuels de droits humains. Le rapport identifie les déficiences des institutions étatiques et fait des recommandations specifiques sur ce qu'il faut améliorer.
Harsh Climate for Human Rights Defenders in China:2014 in Photos 中国大陆人权捍卫者面临严...CHRDnet
In 2014, Chinese activists, writers, lawyers, journalists, artists, and citizens experienced one of the harshest years in government repression and retaliation. CHRD has recorded nearly 1,000 detentions in 2014 for exercising and defending human rights. We have produced an image gallery showcasing major trends and figures in China’s human rights landscape of 2014.
2014年是中国政府打压活跃人士、律师、作家、记者、艺术家和其他维权公民最为 严峻的一年,他们因为行使和保护人权受到报复。这一年,我们经核实统计了近 一千例剥夺人权捍卫者人身自由的个案。我们并且整理了一个图片库回顾2014.e
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 37 Witness Intimidation ...MedicalWhistleblower
Witness intimidation involves witnesses crucial
to court proceedings being threatened in
order to pressure or extort them not to testify.
The term “witness” is used to refer both to victims
and to bystanders who could provide information
to police. The term “victim” is used to denote the victim of the initial crime. The
refusal of key witnesses to testify commonly renders a case with inadequate physical
evidence void in a court of law. This is a significant problem that has many lawmakers
considering tough penalties for intimidating a witness as in example the state of Kansas,
where it is a criminal misdemeanor, or, if found to be aggravated a felony.
How common is witness intimidation? It is difficult to know because the crime is greatly
under reported and also when intimidation is successful neither the intimidation nor the
original crime are reported. Many witnesses drop out of the investigation process long
before an indictment or court appearance. Witness intimidation plays a role in many
types of crime. Witness intimidation, however, is not the same as repeat victimization.
Although in both cases the same offenders may be responsible for multiple events, their
motives are different. In witness intimidation, the intent is to discourage the victim from
reporting a crime to police or from cooperating with prosecutors, whereas in repeat victimization,
the motive is often acquisitive.
Medical Whistleblowers who witness criminal activity or have been victimized by a crime
are sometimes reluctant to come forward and report incidents to police or to assist in the
prosecution of offenders. In the medical community there are generalized community
norms that discourage doctors, nurses and other medical professionals from cooperating
with a criminal investigation.
The Psychosocial Drivers of Gender Based Violence in Matabeleland South: Zimb...iosrjce
As documented by Ndamba, Lunga and Musarurwa, (2013) gender based violence (GBV) is one of
the key drivers of HIV, high mortality rate, crime and other non-conforming behaviours. The purpose of the
study was to investigate the psychosocial drivers of GBV in Matabeleland South. The study employed both
quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The quantitative aspects included questionnaires that were
administered to women of child bearing age, whilst the qualitative aspect involved secondary data review,
interviews of key informants and focus group discussions. The population of man, women, and youths was used
to make reasonable inferences on the issues fuelling GBV in Matabeleland South. Purposive and random
sampling techniques were used to identify the ideal participants for the survey. The key findings were that:
Cases of GBV were actually understated by documented statistics, so were their causes and outcomes. The term
Gender Based Violence was noted a value-laden word and as a result, different stakeholders had their
operational definitions, with some associating it with Feminism. Recommendations made include - development
of strategies that ensure maximum freedom and entitlements; policies that ensure attainment of human rights
including the basic living rights by communities; strategic and systematic rehabilitation of victims of abuse;
revival of recreational centres; and enforcement of some laws that involve human rights so as to ensure that the
communities (as bio-psychosocial beings) leave peacefully with each other.
Custody Services of The Human Rights PerspectiveQUESTJOURNAL
ABSTRACT: No person may be tortured or abused, obtain treatment or punishment is inhuman or demeaned her dignity, including the suspect imposed detention. This study aims to determine the protection of the rights of prisoners in Sinjai District Police have been appropriate or not to human rights. The research was conducted at the Police Resort Sinjai. Data obtained derived from primary data and secondary data using the techniques of data collection through field research and literature research is then processed by the formulation of the problem quantitatively, are presented in tables and analyzed descriptively. The results showed that 36% of prisoners are not informed officially about the right legal counsel so that 36% did not know their legal counsel free of charge to those who can not afford a penalty of 5 years or more, still contained 36% were forced to admit his guilt during interrogation and 36% received violence during examination, and 36% received specific threats by the investigators as not admitting guilt when questioned as to be slapped or beaten, but in general for the custody case, like the case of theft. It was concluded that there are infringing on the rights of prisoners are not in accordance with the human rights perspective in Sinjai District Police.Expected sosioalisasi regarding legal aid should be increased as well as the procedures for obtaining legal aid for those who can not should be made easy so that legal aid funds can be channeled to the maximum as well as for persons who have committed human rights violations against the detainees to be given heavy penalties.
American Research Journal of Humanities & Social Science (ARJHSS) is a double blind peer reviewed, open access journal published by (ARJHSS).
The main objective of ARJHSS is to provide an intellectual platform for the international scholars. ARJHSS aims to promote interdisciplinary studies in Humanities & Social Science and become the leading journal in Humanities & Social Science in the world.
Madridge Journal of AIDS (ISSN: 2638-1958); This article reviewed literature and scholarly studies related to psychosocial traumatic events among women in Nigeria. It conceptualized and discussed trauma from universal and cultural perspectives and different types of trauma.
The Effect of Vehicle theft and hijacking - Dr Jaco BarkhuizenTracker Connect
The objectives of this study were to gather information in order to provide desired information to the following questions:
- How do victims experience the vehicle hijacking?
- What was the general make-up of the incident?
- What are the financial and physical-emotional consequences of vehicle hijacking?
- What are the social consequences of vehicle hijacking?
- And how does the financial and physical-emotional consequences contribute to the social consequences?
- What common trends can be identified to establish the effect that this crime has had on the social fabric in South Africa?
Harsh Climate for Human Rights Defenders in China:2014 in Photos 中国大陆人权捍卫者面临严...CHRDnet
In 2014, Chinese activists, writers, lawyers, journalists, artists, and citizens experienced one of the harshest years in government repression and retaliation. CHRD has recorded nearly 1,000 detentions in 2014 for exercising and defending human rights. We have produced an image gallery showcasing major trends and figures in China’s human rights landscape of 2014.
2014年是中国政府打压活跃人士、律师、作家、记者、艺术家和其他维权公民最为 严峻的一年,他们因为行使和保护人权受到报复。这一年,我们经核实统计了近 一千例剥夺人权捍卫者人身自由的个案。我们并且整理了一个图片库回顾2014.e
Medical Whistleblower Canary Notes Newsletter 37 Witness Intimidation ...MedicalWhistleblower
Witness intimidation involves witnesses crucial
to court proceedings being threatened in
order to pressure or extort them not to testify.
The term “witness” is used to refer both to victims
and to bystanders who could provide information
to police. The term “victim” is used to denote the victim of the initial crime. The
refusal of key witnesses to testify commonly renders a case with inadequate physical
evidence void in a court of law. This is a significant problem that has many lawmakers
considering tough penalties for intimidating a witness as in example the state of Kansas,
where it is a criminal misdemeanor, or, if found to be aggravated a felony.
How common is witness intimidation? It is difficult to know because the crime is greatly
under reported and also when intimidation is successful neither the intimidation nor the
original crime are reported. Many witnesses drop out of the investigation process long
before an indictment or court appearance. Witness intimidation plays a role in many
types of crime. Witness intimidation, however, is not the same as repeat victimization.
Although in both cases the same offenders may be responsible for multiple events, their
motives are different. In witness intimidation, the intent is to discourage the victim from
reporting a crime to police or from cooperating with prosecutors, whereas in repeat victimization,
the motive is often acquisitive.
Medical Whistleblowers who witness criminal activity or have been victimized by a crime
are sometimes reluctant to come forward and report incidents to police or to assist in the
prosecution of offenders. In the medical community there are generalized community
norms that discourage doctors, nurses and other medical professionals from cooperating
with a criminal investigation.
The Psychosocial Drivers of Gender Based Violence in Matabeleland South: Zimb...iosrjce
As documented by Ndamba, Lunga and Musarurwa, (2013) gender based violence (GBV) is one of
the key drivers of HIV, high mortality rate, crime and other non-conforming behaviours. The purpose of the
study was to investigate the psychosocial drivers of GBV in Matabeleland South. The study employed both
quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The quantitative aspects included questionnaires that were
administered to women of child bearing age, whilst the qualitative aspect involved secondary data review,
interviews of key informants and focus group discussions. The population of man, women, and youths was used
to make reasonable inferences on the issues fuelling GBV in Matabeleland South. Purposive and random
sampling techniques were used to identify the ideal participants for the survey. The key findings were that:
Cases of GBV were actually understated by documented statistics, so were their causes and outcomes. The term
Gender Based Violence was noted a value-laden word and as a result, different stakeholders had their
operational definitions, with some associating it with Feminism. Recommendations made include - development
of strategies that ensure maximum freedom and entitlements; policies that ensure attainment of human rights
including the basic living rights by communities; strategic and systematic rehabilitation of victims of abuse;
revival of recreational centres; and enforcement of some laws that involve human rights so as to ensure that the
communities (as bio-psychosocial beings) leave peacefully with each other.
Custody Services of The Human Rights PerspectiveQUESTJOURNAL
ABSTRACT: No person may be tortured or abused, obtain treatment or punishment is inhuman or demeaned her dignity, including the suspect imposed detention. This study aims to determine the protection of the rights of prisoners in Sinjai District Police have been appropriate or not to human rights. The research was conducted at the Police Resort Sinjai. Data obtained derived from primary data and secondary data using the techniques of data collection through field research and literature research is then processed by the formulation of the problem quantitatively, are presented in tables and analyzed descriptively. The results showed that 36% of prisoners are not informed officially about the right legal counsel so that 36% did not know their legal counsel free of charge to those who can not afford a penalty of 5 years or more, still contained 36% were forced to admit his guilt during interrogation and 36% received violence during examination, and 36% received specific threats by the investigators as not admitting guilt when questioned as to be slapped or beaten, but in general for the custody case, like the case of theft. It was concluded that there are infringing on the rights of prisoners are not in accordance with the human rights perspective in Sinjai District Police.Expected sosioalisasi regarding legal aid should be increased as well as the procedures for obtaining legal aid for those who can not should be made easy so that legal aid funds can be channeled to the maximum as well as for persons who have committed human rights violations against the detainees to be given heavy penalties.
American Research Journal of Humanities & Social Science (ARJHSS) is a double blind peer reviewed, open access journal published by (ARJHSS).
The main objective of ARJHSS is to provide an intellectual platform for the international scholars. ARJHSS aims to promote interdisciplinary studies in Humanities & Social Science and become the leading journal in Humanities & Social Science in the world.
Madridge Journal of AIDS (ISSN: 2638-1958); This article reviewed literature and scholarly studies related to psychosocial traumatic events among women in Nigeria. It conceptualized and discussed trauma from universal and cultural perspectives and different types of trauma.
The Effect of Vehicle theft and hijacking - Dr Jaco BarkhuizenTracker Connect
The objectives of this study were to gather information in order to provide desired information to the following questions:
- How do victims experience the vehicle hijacking?
- What was the general make-up of the incident?
- What are the financial and physical-emotional consequences of vehicle hijacking?
- What are the social consequences of vehicle hijacking?
- And how does the financial and physical-emotional consequences contribute to the social consequences?
- What common trends can be identified to establish the effect that this crime has had on the social fabric in South Africa?
OPEN LETTER OF DR. KENNETH SHAPIRO AND OTHER 140 SCIENTISTS AND ACADEMICS FROM 18 COUNTRIES TO SPANISH CONGRESS
This letter raises professional concerns about the link between animal abuse and violence, and especially the desensitising impact viewing bullfights can have on children
TORTTURE AND INHUMAN ACTS IN NIGERIA, WHATS NIGERIA GOVERNMENT DO WITH HUMAN ...Lynn University
INTRODUCTION
Democracy is a legendary system of government in which every countries of the world, today it is desires to have democracy or claims to be one. Today if truly democracy and human rights are incompatible in certain situation, it means freedom and justice and equality for all branch of people are guaranteed. Democracy ensure human rights to be primarily virtuous, balance and adequate of moderation, furthermore , democracy ensure human right broadly, human right include: right to life, liberty, right of property , freedom of speech ,and security of individual, which have been definite in the constitution. But, in Nigerian torture has been considerable through human rights mismanagement. The government agencies, such as military and police brutalize the people by torturing them. However, torture and inhuman acts are commonly carried out by government agencies such as police and soldiers. During the military regime in Nigeria, time torture and inhuman acts gained more power for the misdeed of the citizens in Nigeria. Such conditions; torture thoroughly undermined due process and the rule of law, and other inhuman acts were a confirmed routine. Meanwhile inhuman act and torture were implemented by government agencies, such as soldiers; army forces and polices; they thought that torture and abuse of human rights were the best tools to get equitable and eloquent information from suspects. This book concerns with torture and inhuman acts in Nigeria; what is the Nigerian government response to human rights violation; also it would talks about Nigeria economics, poverty and corruption in Nigeria.
The Main Responsibility for Torture and Cruel Act in Nigeria.
The main groups responsible for torture and inhuman acts in Nigeria were the police’s and soldiers mostly using inhuman acts and torture as a way of disarranging suspects of crimes. Torture and inhuman acts were rampant within the soldier’s barracker and polices custody. The military and police were said to carry out inhuman and torture as the best way for investigated any crimes or as a way of beating in order to getting eloquent information. However, inhuman acts and torture had become such a fundamental guarding and scouting in the country which many polices headquarters in Nigeria use formal torture.
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI)inventionjournals
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI) is an international journal intended for professionals and researchers in all fields of Humanities and Social Science. IJHSSI publishes research articles and reviews within the whole field Humanities and Social Science, new teaching methods, assessment, validation and the impact of new technologies and it will continue to provide information on the latest trends and developments in this ever-expanding subject. The publications of papers are selected through double peer reviewed to ensure originality, relevance, and readability. The articles published in our journal can be accessed online.
1PHASE 3 INDIVIDUAL PROJECTAssignmentDraft a .docxeugeniadean34240
1
PHASE 3 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT
Assignment:
Draft a paper discussing the options for protection that are available to victims of domestic violence, including restraining orders, advocacy, shelters, and additional resources.
Answered by the following:
ABSTRACT
Domestic violence is described as the willful physical assault, intimidation, sexual assault, battery and any other form of behavior which is abusive, as a part of control and power shown by one of the intimate partners against the other. Domestic violence includes sexual violence, emotional abuse, physical violence and psychological violence. Effects of domestic violence include death in very severe cases, psychological trauma and physical injury. According to Durfee & Messing (2012), in early stages relationships, it’s not easy to identify whether the person will turn out to be abusive or not. Violence intensifies as time goes by and it begins with behaviors that a person can dismiss or downplay and abusers apologize for their actions to convince the victims that they are doing these things out of love. While domestic violence has been increasing, options have been availed to protect the victims of domestic violence. This paper shall discuss some of the options for protecting family violence victims such as restraining orders, advocacy, shelter and creating awareness on domestic violence.
Ways of protecting family violence victims:
Restraining orders
Restraining orders are court orders given to prevent reoccurrence of abuse acts by the abuser. In order for a victim to acquire a restraining order, they must have had a close relationship with the person whom they want to be restrained from. The law defines a relationship as ‘close’ if the two people are married or formerly married, if they had been engaged or dating, if they have children together, if they are related either by married, adoption or blood or if they live with each other (Voris, 2015). A restraining order orders the abuser to be permanently removed from the residence and stay away from the victims home, work place and children’s school. Other locations would be determined in the order if necessary. It also restrains the abuser’s personal conduct. Further, it addresses the issues of child visitation and custody; if the two parties had children together.
There are different types of restriction orders. The emergency protection order is a short term order given by the police or magistrate granted to the victim when the abuser is arrested for violence. It is often limited for a period of three to seven days. The protection order is a long term order given by the police or magistrate to protect the victim for a longer period. It can be effective for a period of one to five years and sometimes, in rare instances, valid for a lifetime. Protection orders have varying provisions. These provisions can be, and not limited to, a no contact provision which prohibits the abuser form contacting the v.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
Honest Reviews of Tim Han LMA Course Program.pptxtimhan337
Personal development courses are widely available today, with each one promising life-changing outcomes. Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has drawn a lot of interest. In addition to offering my frank assessment of Success Insider’s LMA Course, this piece examines the course’s effects via a variety of Tim Han LMA course reviews and Success Insider comments.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...
1 8
1. See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308952960
Victim of Torture in Police Custody: A Case Study
Research · October 2016
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14388.45445
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Anomic Suicide and Restoring Human Values : A Theoretical Analysis View project
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Bharat Institute of Technology
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2. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH, 5(1); 2014
1
Victim of Torture in Police Custody: A Case Study
Sarla Gautam and Aaju Gautam
Indian Institute of Human Rights
A-50, Paryavaran Complex, Saket-Maidan Garhi Marg, New Delhi
Corresponding Address:
Society for Environment, Health, Awareness of Nutrition & Toxicology (SEHAT) India
F/119, Pandav Nagar, Meerut (U.P.)-250003
Email: sehatindia2014@gmail.com,
Website: www.sehatindia.in
Introduction:
Torture, as one of the gravest crimes possible, is protected by a wall of silence and denial.
Perpetrators do not admit it, and may take measures to avoid leaving evidence such as
scars, or to dissuade victims from talking. Governments have reasons to downplay the
scope of torture. Victims are left traumatized, ashamed and frightened; they are often
reluctant to talk about their experience, or lay complaints against their torturers. Breaking
this silence, and giving victims a voice, is a necessary first step towards reducing the use
of torture. This report is an attempt to begin to break this silence. In a country and a
world in which so many people are torture survivors, it must be noted from the start that
the author of this report is not one of them. Any attempt to comprehend torture, and the
trauma it wreaks, by someone who has not experienced it will inevitably be inadequate.
The experiences, emotions and thoughts of torture survivors can by no means be fully
and properly described. The research included a review of torture cases in Licadho
investigation, medical and prison research files. Additional information was gathered
through interviews with torture victims, and with others – government and law
enforcement officials, and the staff of non-government organizations (NGOs) – with
knowledge of torture. Torture is a disturbing and depressing subject. One of the pitfalls of
researching and writing about it, into which the author of this report undoubtedly falls, is
to neglect to see or to show the many glimmers of light in what is otherwise a very bleak
picture. There are many across all sectors of society who not only refuse to close their
3. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH, 5(1); 2014
2
eyes to torture, but who actively work against it: the dedicated and talented staff of
numerous NGOs who try to care for the victims and investigate the perpetrators; the
many so-called ordinary people in villages and towns throughout India who, often at risk
to their own safety, are willing to help the victims and provide information to
investigators; and those officials within the government, police, military and courts who
are prepared, each in his or her own way, to assist the fight against torture. Finally, and
most importantly, there are the torture survivors who in picking up the pieces of their
shattered lives serve as inspiration to us all. Torture is one of the most grievous acts of
brutality practiced by mankind. While the word conjures up visions of the Dark Ages or
the Inquisition, torture is by no means relegated to the ancient past. It is still commonly
practiced in dozens of countries. Cambodia is one of them. In police stations and prisons,
on military bases, in brothels of sexual slavery, and in private homes, torture is an
everyday occurrence. People are regularly and routinely beaten black and blue with
punches and kicks. They are hit with batons, iron bars, gun butts, and pieces of wood or
other objects, subjected to electric shocks, whipped with wire, bamboo, rope or belts.
Some are nearly suffocated with pieces of plastic, or have their feet crushed under
wooden or iron bars. For many victims, torture includes rape or other sexual abuse. Aside
from physical torture, methods of psychological torture include prolonged unlawful
detention, verbal intimidation and death threats, mock executions and physical assaults or
threats against relatives of victims.
Definition: 1. to cause extreme physical pain to, esp. to extract information, etc.; to
torture prisoners. 2. To give mental anguish to. 3. To twist into a grotesque form. 4.
Physical or mental anguish. 5. The practice of torturing a person. 6. a cause of mental
agony.”
– ‘Torture’, as defined by the Collins Concise Dictionary, third edition, 1992.
“For the purposes of this Convention, the term ‘torture’ means any act by which severe
pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for
such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession,
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punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having
committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on
discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation
of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an
official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or
incidental to lawful sanctions.”
– The UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment.
The applicable legal definition of torture as a concept, rather than the individual actions
that may comprise an instance of torture, comes from the UN Convention against
Torture, which Cambodia ratified in 1992. A broader definition, designed for medical
doctors, is that of the World Medical Association. The key difference between the two
definitions is whether the participation or complicity of a State official is necessary for
physical or mental pain to be categorized as torture. The UN convention requires the
consent or acquiescence of a public official “or other person acting in an official
capacity”, while the World Medical Association refers only to “one or more persons
acting alone or on the orders of any authority”.
METHODS OF TORTURE: Torturers, whether they are State agents or civilians,
politically motivated or not, use similar methods. (One exception is electric shock torture
inflicted with electric batons, which is used primarily by police and military police
officers.) The following are some common torture techniques:
Beating: Beating (and kicking) is the most common form of torture, in India and
around the world. Palms, fists, elbows, knees and feet can be used, and/or solid
objects, most often guns, truncheons, pieces of wood or iron, etc.
Whipping: Whipping, a form of beating, appears particularly prevalent in
Cambodia. It is often inflicted with an electrical wire or cable, like those used for
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household appliances or industrial uses, or with several wires wound together.
The thickness of the wire varies, and it is often coated with plastic. (References to
whipping with electric wire in this report do not refer to electrical shock, unless
explicitly stated.) Ropes, belts and chains are also common whipping instruments.
Electrical torture: Shocks are delivered either by electric baton or by an electric
wire directly from a power source. Electric batons are mainly possessed by police
and military police.
Handcuffing/shackling/tying: Many torture victims’ hands and/or feet are cuffed
or shackled (with leg irons) or otherwise restrained during beatings or other
torture. Other victims, particularly in prisons, may not be physically assaulted but
simply left cuffed, shackled or otherwise tied up for long periods of time. Such
restraints – particularly shackles – often cut into the flesh, restrict blood
circulation and prevent movement, causing severe pain; they can cause permanent
disability.
Limb-crushing: This appears to be mainly used by police and military police.
Usually, a wooden or iron bar is placed across the victim’s feet or lower legs, and
the police stand or jump on top of the bar to create downward pressure. In a
different version, the police, often wearing boots, stomp on the arms or legs of a
victim who is lying down.
Rape/sexual abuse: Repeated rape is a common element in the torture of victims
of sexual trafficking and domestic violence. Rape/sexual abuse has also been
reported of girls and women in police stations, prisons or other official custody.
The occasional case of sexual assault against males, usually in the form of
deliberate injury to the genitals, has been reported.
Verbal threats/psychological abuse: The ubiquitous death threat – often at
gunpoint – is the most common form of psychological torture; virtually all torture
victims are threatened with death. Mock executions and threats to injure or kill the
relatives of victims are also used. Most torture victims, in State or civilian
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custody, are subjected to prolonged unlawful detention and denial of access to
outside world; some are kept in solitary confinement.
This list is not comprehensive. Examples of these, and other, types of torture are featured
throughout this report. Many, if not all, of these forms of torture have long existed in
India. A version of limb-crushing was practiced in the late 13th Century, when adulterers
had their feet squeezed between two splints of wood. Several of the commonest forms of
torture today, such as whipping and electric shock, were widely used during the Pol Pot
era and the subsequent PRK and SOC regimes.
CASE
Torture by Police Is Frequent and Often Deadly
MEERUT (UP), India -- Rajeev Sharma, a young electrician, was sleeping when police
barged into his house a month ago and dragged him out of bed on suspicion of a burglary
in the neighborhood, his family recalled. When his young wife and brother protested, the
police, who did not show them an arrest warrant, said they were taking Sharma to the
police station for "routine questioning." "Little did we know that we would lose him
forever," said Sunil Sharma, Rajeev's brother, recounting how he died while in police
custody. "Their routine questioning proved fatal," he added, sitting beside his brother's
grieving widow. Rajeev Sharma, 28, died at the police station within a day of his
detention. Police said he committed suicide, but his family charges that he was beaten
and killed. The case highlights the frequent use of torture and deadly force at local police
stations in India, a practice decried by human rights activists and the Indian Supreme
Court. A little more than a decade after Parliament established the National Human
Rights Commission to deal with such
Abuses, police torture continue unabated, according to human rights groups and the
Supreme Court. According to the latest available government data, there were 1,307
reported deaths in police and judicial custody in India in 2002. "India has the highest
number of cases of police torture and custodial deaths among the world's democracies
and the weakest law against torture," said Ravi Nair, who heads the South Asia Human
Rights Documentation Center. "The police often operate in a climate of impunity, where
torture is seen as routine police behavior to extract confessions from small pickpockets to
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political suspects." He said that laws governing police functions were framed under
British colonial rule in 1861 "as an oppressive force designed to keep the population
under control." Police records show that, two weeks before his detention, Rajeev Sharma
made a electrician's service call at the home of a wealthy businessman. On that day, the
man reported that $500 worth of gold jewelry and about $100 in cash was missing, police
said. After Sharma's detention, his brother called the police station and was told that
Sharma had confessed to the theft, he said. The brother said he and other family members
rushed to the station and were able to see Sharma briefly. "His eyes were red, his mouth
was bleeding and he could hardly walk. They had beaten him very badly. That was the
last glimpse we had," said Sunil Sharma, 35. "By the evening, the police
informed us that he had committed suicide in the lockup by hanging himself with a
blanket. The suicide story is a coverup; my brother died of police torture." The death in
police custody sparked two days of rioting and protests in Meerut, about 45 miles from
New Delhi, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. Angry residents surrounded and threw
stones at the police station, burned police vehicles and blocked traffic. Thousands
participated in Sharma's funeral procession; protesters demanded an open inquest by a
panel of physicians and the immediate arrests of those responsible. Police conducted an
autopsy in private, lawyers close to the case said. But authorities did issue arrest warrants
for the man who said he had been robbed and for six police officers, an apparent reaction
to the unusual popular outcry, family members and lawyers said. The merchant is in jail,
alleged to have participated in beating Sharma, but the police officers apparently have
fled, authorities said. Although the Indian government signed the international
Convention against Torture in 1997, it has not ratified the document. Some members of
Parliament have argued against ratification, saying they oppose international scrutiny and
asserting that Indian laws have adequate provisions to prevent torture. Human rights
advocates said Uttar Pradesh ranks highest among Indian states in the incidence of police
torture and custodial deaths. Some police officers justify the use of torture to extract
confessions and instill fear. "The police in India are under tremendous pressure, as people
need quick results. So we have to
pick up and interrogate a lot of people. Sometimes things get out of control," said
Raghuraj Singh Chauhan, a newly assigned officer at the station where Rajeev Sharma
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died. "After all, confessions cannot be extracted with love. The fear of the police has to
be kept alive -- how else would you reduce crime?" he added, fanning himself with a
police file folder. A senior police officer in Meerut, on condition of anonymity, openly
discussed torture methods with a visiting reporter. One technique, he said, involves a
two-foot-long rubber belt attached to a wooden handle. "We call this thing samaj
sudharak," the officer said, smiling, using the Hindi phrase for social reformer. "When we
hit with this, there are no fractures, no blood, no major peeling of the skin. It is safe for
us, as nothing shows up in the postmortem report. But the pain is such that the person can
only appeal to God. He will confess to anything."Last September, in a written ruling in a
case of police misconduct, the Supreme Court criticized the use of torture. "The
dehumanizing torture, assault and death in custody which have assumed alarming
proportions raise serious questions about the credibility of the rule of law and
administration of the criminal justice system," the court said. "The cry for justice
becomes louder and warrants immediate remedial measure." In addition, the severity of
the torture problem is probably worse than statistics indicate, because victims, fearing
reprisals, rarely report cases against the police, human rights advocates said. "About 40
percent of custodial torture cases are not even reported. They are just grateful for God's
mercy that they are alive and free," said Pradeep Kumar, a human rights lawyer who has
represented police torture victims in Uttar Pradesh. "Torture sometimes leads to
permanent disability, psychological trauma, loss of faculties." The National Human
Rights Commission, led by a retired Supreme Court justice, has faced criticism that it is
too dependent on the government and lacks enforcement power. "We have not been able
to build a human rights culture in the police force," said Shankar Sen, a former police
officer and an ex-member of the commission. "It is not only individual aberration but a
matter of systemic failure." The commission has ordered that cameras be installed in
police stations to monitor and deter police brutality. "In the past year we have spent about
$600,000 to equip most of the police stations in New Delhi with a camera. This will make
police functioning transparent and have a big impact on torture," said Maxwell Pereira, a
senior police official in the capital.
But critics and families of victims said they had not seen changes. In a much-publicized
case in New Delhi last fall, five policemen were charged with beating and killing Sushil
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Kumar Nama at a police station. Nama had been detained on suspicion that he was
working with neighborhood gamblers. Four of the police officers were arrested in April,
but one remains at large, authorities said. Police officials denied that Nama was tortured,
saying he died of a heart attack after he was released from custody. "My two children are
so traumatized that now they run home scared every time they see a policeman on the
street," said Nama's wife, Rekha, 29. "They know that danger lurks behind that uniform.
They are not policemen, they are wolves."
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