Chandigarh: The Punjab Human Rights Organisation has strongly condemned the alleged custodial torture and inhuman treatment of a young man, Mohanjit Singh, following an incident at village Sheron, where he reportedly showed a black flag during Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s public interaction programme.
In a joint statement, the organisation said that expressing disagreement with the government, asking questions, or staging a peaceful protest are fundamental democratic rights of citizens.
It said that if any person violates the law, action can be taken in accordance with legal procedure. However, custodial assault, torture or humiliating treatment cannot be justified under any circumstances.
According to the statement, Mohanjit Singh has alleged that he was beaten and subjected to serious torture while in police custody. The organisation described the allegations as extremely serious and said they should not be dismissed merely as a political controversy.
The rights body stressed that ensuring the safety and protecting the human rights of a person in custody is a constitutional responsibility of both the police and the government.
The Punjab Human Rights Organisation has demanded an impartial, transparent and time-bound investigation into the entire matter. It has also called for a detailed medical examination of the youth by an independent medical board.
The organisation further demanded that all records related to his detention, including CCTV footage and other available evidence, be preserved to ensure a fair investigation.
It said that if the inquiry establishes that any police officer or employee was involved in torture or unlawful assault, strict legal action should be taken against those responsible without political or administrative interference.
The organisation also reminded the Punjab Government and Punjab Police that law-enforcement agencies themselves cannot be above the law. A person’s disagreement with the government, it said, does not take away his or her human rights.
The statement said the issue should not be viewed merely as a matter concerning one individual or one political group, but as a serious question involving civil liberties, rule of law and human dignity in Punjab.
The organisation urged the Punjab Government to bring the facts of the case before the public through a fair investigation and ensure punishment under the law if the allegations of police torture are proven.
“Human rights are not a favour granted by any government, but a fundamental right of every citizen,” the statement said.
The joint statement was issued in the names of Justice Ranjit Singh, Dr. Pyare Lal Garg, Malwinder Singh Mali, Dr. Khushhal Singh, Senior Advocate Rajvinder Singh Bains, Rajvinder Singh Rahi and Sarabjit Singh Verka. It was released by Dr. Khushhal Singh.
