Honorable, the Secretary General, United Nations New York, NY 10017

I have the honor to submit a petition in respect of Simranjit Singh Mann, a former police officer of Indian Police Service, who remains imprisoned in Indian jail without trial for over two years. The helpless individual is now being administered “drug treatment” to alter his mind and personality and is being denied usual and well-established norms of treatment in respect of prisoners. Brief details of the violations are given below.

Simranjit Singh Mann was Group Commandant of Central Industrial Security force in Bombay when the military attack on the Golden Temple the holiest Sikh Shrine took place in early June 1984. Mr. Mann protested against this attack and tendered his resignation to the Indian Government on June 18, 1984. He was arrested three months on numerous charges including sedition and waging war against India. Mr. Mann has ever since been in jail under conditions which clearly violate numerous United Nations laws. These are:

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, General Assembly Resolution 217 A(IM), Article 5 (torture, inhuman and degrading treatment), Article 9 (arbitrary arrest and detention), Article IT (I) right to be presumed innocent till proven guilty), Article 12 (arbitrary interference with privacy, family, reputation and correspondence of an individual); International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, General Assembly Resolution 2200 A (XXD), Articles 9 (arbitrary arrest and detention), 14 (2), (right to be presumed innocent till proven guilty), 14 (3c) (early trial without delay) and 17 (interference with privacy, family and home correspondence); and Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, Economic and Social Council Resolutions 663 C (XXIV) of 31 July 1957 and 2076 (LX) of 13 May 1977, Articles 15 (provision of facilities for personal hygiene, Article 17 (adequate clothing and bedding), Article 20 (appropriate food), Articles 22’to 26 Medical services).

Mr. Simranjit Singh Mann has been arrested arbitrarily, has not been tried over a period of over 28 months, has been denied reasonable visits by the close members of his family, and has been denied proper food, clothing and bedding during his detention during the last two years. During the last eight months Mr. Mann has been administered ‘drug treatment” to alter his mind, break his will and destroy his personality. This has had profound effect on his health and mental poise. As a result he lost over 17 pounds of weight during this tragic period.

Not wanting to involve myself with the politics of the case I request that the Indian government be prevailed upon to treat Mr. Mann according to the agreed provisions of various articles of the United Nations and urge the following actions:

  1. Mr. Mann should be released at once or tried without further delay.
  2. He should be allowed appropriate food, bedding and clothing, living facilities, medical care and the like.

III. He should be allowed visits from close members of his family (wife and children).

 

  1. Administering of the “Drug treatment” be stopped at once and Mr. Mann should be examined by a team of doctors appointed under the aegis of International Red Cross.

I would be happy to supply any further details relating to the above case. I look forward to an early and prompt action by you. Thanking you in anticipation.

 

Yours sincerely,

Article extracted from this publication >>  March 6, 1987