HRW: Indian torture tactics may boost militancy

Abusive counter-terrorism tactics, such as torture, are routinely used by Indian police and may actually be boosting militancy in the country, a report by the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said. “Allegations of torture are often used as propaganda for recruitment (by militant groups),” said HRW’s South Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly. “When torture happens, [...]

Critics say India’s surveillance hurts goal of drawing business

Prompted by fears of digital-era plotters, Indian officials are demanding that network operators give them the ability to monitor and decrypt digital messages, whenever the Home Ministry deems the eavesdropping to be vital to national security. Critics, though, say India’s campaign to monitor data transmission within its borders will hurt other important national goals: attracting [...]

Indian Armed Forces Special Powers Act under scrutiny

The Indian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has recently come under intense scrutiny, as a result of being too often used in areas declared ‘disturbed’. The AFSPA, first introduced in the north-east in 1958, was extended to Jammu and Kashmir in 1990. In 1997 the Supreme Court ordered a six-monthly review of areas declared [...]

Governments threaten to suspend Blackberry services

The UAE, which includes the business centres of Dubai  and Abu Dhabi, said it would prevent BlackBerry services such as email, web browsing and text messaging from October, after first raising concerns with the Canadian manufacturer Research In Motion (RIM) three years ago. The ban will extend to visitors to the UAE who take their [...]

ASEM conference on counter-terrorism conference papers

On 10 and 11 June 2010, the 8th ASEM Conference on Counter-Terrorism was held in Brussels, Belgium. It was hosted by the Belgian Federal Public Service of Foreign Affairs, with the support of the European Union, as part of the preparations for the ASEM 8 Summit on 4 and 5 October 2010. Jean-Paul Laborde, Director [...]

HRW Analysis of amendments to India’s Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)

This 20-page report is an analysis of the amendments to the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), enacted after the November 26, 2008 attacks on Mumbai that killed 166 people and injured over 300. Comparing them to previous legislation, the report finds that the new amendments contain provisions that are also likely to result in abuse [...]

Maoists ‘killed’ in India’s operation in Jharkhand

Police in the north-eastern Indian state of Jharkhand say they have killed 10 Maoist rebels. Eight rebel camps were destroyed during what is being described as a major offensive in the Borahat jungles of West Singbhum district, officials said. Six policemen injured in the operation were airlifted to hospital, police said. Authorities have been under [...]

Indian Army: micro devices to monitor terrorists

The Indian Army plans to induct new-age gadgets such as micro audio bugs and video devices to keep a watch on terrorist hideouts and their meeting places and activities. “Possible nano-technology applications are micro-audio bugs and video recording devices with high capacity data storage to plant at likely meeting places of terrorists, over ground agents [...]

Pakistan President signs ICCPR and Convention against Torture

President Asif Ali Zardari signed on Thursday 3 June two recently ratified international conventions, adding Pakistan to the list of countries which have ratified all international conventions related to good governance, sustainable development and human rights. The two conventions are: The international convention on civil and political rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against torture and [...]

Akshardham terror attack: High Court upholds death sentence for three

The Gujarat High Court has upheld a POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) court’s order awarding the death sentence to three persons for the terrorist attack on Akshardham temple in 2002. The bench comprised of Justice RM Doshit and Justice KM Thaker confirmed the death sentence for three accused named Chand Khan from Bareilly, Adam Ajmeri [...]