西ベンガルの女性に対する暴力への対処を求めるHRNのレターに、インド首相より返信がありました。

以下は、HRNよりインド首相へ送信したレター内容です。

Shri Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister’s Office
Room 152
South Block, New Delhi
INDIA

Fax: + 91 11 2301 6857

July 2009

Dear Prime Minister,

We are contacting you to express our grave concerns regarding the case of
Ms. Sampa Dutta, who has been subjected to police harassment and
intimidation after registering a criminal complaint against a police officer
from Entally Police Station in Kolkata, West Bengal.

In her complaint (Case No. 31/2009, 21 January 2009), Ms. Dutta alleges that
she was sexually abused by the police officer, Mr. Dharanidhar Pati, in
front of her young daughter while traveling on a minibus on 21 January 2009.
Several months later, an unidentified man visited her home and warned her,
once again in the presence of her daughter, that she would face “dire
consequences” unless she withdrew her allegations. She filed a complaint
about this incident of intimidation on 3 June 2009 at Phoolbagan Police
Station (Case No. 2220/2009), but to date the authorities have taken no
action on the matter.

Further, Ms. Dutta has been served by the police on several occasions with
notices to appear at Entally Police Station, in violation of Section 160 of
India’s Criminal Procedure Code of India (which states that “no male under
the age of fifteen years or woman shall be required to attend at any place
other than the place in which such male person or woman resides in respect
to a police inquiry”).

We are deeply concerned that instead of conscientiously dealing with Ms.
Dutta’s complaint against Mr. Pati as they are required to do, the police
appear to be focusing their attention on intimidating Ms. Dutta and
pressuring her to retract her allegations. We therefore respectfully urge
you to:

1) Take immediate action to protect the physical and psychological integrity
of Ms. Sampa Dutta and her daughter;

2) Ensure that a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial
investigation into Ms. Dutta’s allegations is carried out, and those found
responsible for violating the law are subject to the appropriate penal,
civil and/or administrative sanctions;

3) Ensure that Ms. Dutta and her daughter receive adequate, effective and
prompt reparation, including adequate compensation, proper medical care and
rehabilitation;

4) Take steps to ensure the respect of human rights and the fundamental
freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and
international human rights standards.

Yours sincerely,

Human Rights Now,
Secretary General, Kazuko Ito