GENEVA, Switzerland: India refused to abolish death penalty at the 45th session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) on February 18.

The UNHR Cisan elected body of 43 members of the United Nations where government and other human rights groups deliberate on human rights. Social, economic and cultural issues.

The abolition of death penalty was widely discussed in the session which was attended by the Sikh Human Rights of Canada, Human rights groups have been campaigning for the abolition of the death sentence and Italy, Argentina, Ukrain. Netherlands, Belgium and “Australia were amongst those who endorsed the abolition of death penalty.

The Australian delegate said his country had not executed anyone for 20 years and “our experience shows that the rate of crime punishable by death had dropped progressively after the abolition of death penalty.

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The meeting was chaired by Mr. Bhandari who represented India. Bhadari left the meeting after his Opening statement where he said, “Freedom of speech I will not deny even to my enemy and I hope no one will be intimated here or elsewhere”. He was replaced by an alternative leader of the delegation S.S. Ahluwalia.

Eighty countries have not carried out any executions for the last ten years and are voluntary signatories of the protocol.

India however recently executed Bhai Satwant Singh and Bhai Kehar Singh by hanging them. The government also recently overturned the judgment of the Supreme Court of India in which the court had asked it, “Not to execute a person who has passed two years. in jail after pronouncement of death sentence” on the grounds that it was “dehumanizing” for the prisoners.

The Sikh Human Rights Group in a statement said they were certain that India would not abolish death penalty because it had an agenda to execute Sikhs.

Balbir Singh Brar the President of SHRG told the World Sikh News that his group had started a campaign to stop the hanging of Bhai Satwant Singh and Bhai Kehar Singh four months before their hanging.

They had received support of the European Parliament Human Rights Commission, the British Parliament Human Rights Groups, and the President of European Parliament, United Nations Human Rights Commission Amnesty International, Metr and Foundation (France) etc. he said, adding, that many organizations were still reviewing the case.

The SHRG is also in need of more resources the letter stated. For further information contact Kuldeep Singh 4166760524 or Balbir Singh Brar 4164509087.

Article extracted from this publication >>  February 24, 1989