Rights bodies welcome govt decision to sign UN convention against torture

Human rights bodies have welcomed the government's decision to sign the United Nations convention against torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment.

''Though a very belated action, it is a most welcome step,'' says People's Union for Civil Liberties general secretary Y P Chibber.

The decision, taken at a Cabinet meeting recently, comes 10 years after the convention came into force. The United Front government had promised in its common minimum programme that it would accede to the UN convention.

The National Human Rights Commission had been pressing the government to accede to the convention for a long time, arguing it would have a positive impact both within the country and abroad.

In pursuance of a letter addressed by NHRC chairman Justice M N Venkatachaliah to then prime minister H D Deve Gowda, a meeting was convened in April to discuss the matter. Justice Venkatachaliah presented a comprehensive paper at the meeting, refuting the apprehension that acceding to the convention would open the country to 'interference from outside'.

The paper said the Constitution, the laws and the rulings of the Supreme Court have already set standards of conduct and accountability that are no less demanding than those that might stem from treaty obligations.

''India is bound to honour its obligations under the International Convenant on Civil and Political rights, to which we became a party on April 10, 1979. Under Article 7 of that convenant, torture is categorically forbidden and the provisions of that article are non-derogable,' Justice Venkatachaliah said in the paper.

He said the right against torture has been judicially recognised by the apex court as a fundamental right.

''This great country does not need to crouch behind the high wall of national sovereignty on the great issue of human rights,'' Justice Venkatachaliah had argued.

UNI