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According to the same sources, on May 28, Kharbhih and her colleague were on their way to
the District Council Court to accompany her Lawyer to show cause her case concerning a
case involving threats to Kharbhih. Since there was a traffic block, Kharbhih had to get out
from their vehicle and walk towards the court. Not far from the court compound, the accused
in the case, Ms. Bethswa Dympep along with a male, stopped her and started threatening her
and her colleague,claiming that if they continued with the case, Kharbhih would face terrible
consequences, including the closure of the Impulse NGO Network. When Kharbhih replied
that such matters were for the court to decide, Dympep assaulted her. Dympep was
accompanied by her mother who also shouted abuse.
The victim immediately went to the Lumbiengri Police Station to report the matter. A First
Information Report (FIR) was registered and since she was injured, the police asked
Kharbhih to seek medical treatment, which she did. Three police officers searched the court
compound for Dympep, but finding she was inside the court, did not arrest her. The officers
later told Kharbhih and her lawyer that Dympep had escaped from their view.
Later Kharbhih was contacted by a press personnel in Shillong telling her that Dympep has
called a press conference at the Shillong Press Club. In the press meeting Dympep reportedly
accused Kharbhih of assaulting her, while claiming that she is being backed by a business
group in the country and that she will ensure the closure of the Impulse NGO Network soon.
The BHRPC and several other civil society organisations inside and outside of India are
worried for Kharbhih, and have been calling on the state administration of Meghalaya,
particularly the state police, to ensure her protection--and that of others involved in the case.
From the start of the case Kharbhih and her colleagues have been receiving life threatening
telephone calls, demanding their legal withdrawal and that they stop investigating all cases
involving Dympep. In the Press conference, Dympep had declared that she is the personnel
stewardress at the bungalow of the Private airline company in India chaired by Mr. Vijay
Mallya. While the factual basis of claims by Dympep are yet to be verified, it is a known fact
that Kharbhih continues to receive threats, and that the local police have thus far refused to
take any appropriate action against the assailant. A few days before the assault, Kharbhih’s
website was hacked into and the contents destroyed.
Dympep's act of assaulting and threatening Kharbhih and her colleague is also a direct
violation of her bail conditions. The BHRPC wonders why the District Council Court has not
simply recalled Dympep's bail order and had her taken into judicial custody. In spite of
repeated requests the local police have also refused to take any affirmative
action on Kharbhih s behalf.
To
******************************,
******************************,
******************************
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to express my concern about the threat to the life and security of Ms. Hasina
Kharbhih, a noted human rights defender working against human trafficking. I am informed
that Kharbhih has been contesting a criminal case against Ms. Bethswa Dympep at the
local courts in Shillong and that since the beginning of the case Dympep has been threatening
Kharbhih and her colleagues with personal harm and the closure of her office, demanding the
withdrawal of the case from the court. However the police have not taken any action
upon the complaint and have allowed Dympep to continue with her threats in private, and in
the public eye.
I am informed that on May 28 in particular, Kharbhih was verbally abused and assaulted by
Dympep in front of the local court, and has filed a complaint at the Lumbiengri Police
Station. The police failed to arrest Dympep on the excuse that they could not locate her, yet I
am informed that after the incident the assailant had convened a press conference at the local
press club, a public event which the local police were aware of.
The lack of police action suggests that Dympep is using her influence to prevent the due
process of law from taking its own course. In these circumstances, I request that you
immediately take swift assertive action to ensure that Kharbhih remains safe throughout this
trial and after, and that an investigation is ordered into the entire incident.
I also request that if required, Dympep be taken into custody on the basis of the complaint
filed by Kharbhih against her at Lumbiengri Police Station. Human rights defenders carry out
a valuable and necessary service, often at the expense of their lives. Any
government should give their safety utmost priority.
Yours sincerely,
Your Signature
Your Address
1. Governor of Meghalaya
Government of Meghalaya
INDIA
2. Chief Secretary
Government of Meghalaya
INDIA
E-mail: ranjanchatterjee@hotmail.com
3. Home Minister
INDIA
New Delhi-110001
INDIA
E-mail: sgnhrc@nic.in
Shillong, Meghalaya
INDIA
INDIA
Fax: + 91 11 23742133
E-mail: ddpg2-arpg@nic.in
7. Chairperson
INDIA
Fax: + 91 11 24625378
E-mail: jointsecretary-ncsc@nic.in
http://bhrpc.net.googlepages.com/HumanRightsDefenderAssaultedforPursu.pdf