India slams ‘baseless, unwarranted’ allegations of harassment against Rana Ayyub
Geneva/New Delhi, Feb 21 (UNI): India has slammed “baseless and unwarranted” allegations by the UN Human Rights Office of “so-called judicial harassment” against journalist Rana Ayyub and will be handing over a Note Verbale to the UN Office in Geneva.
India’s Permanent Mission in Geneva in a tweet on Monday said that “India upholds the rule of law, but is equally clear that no one is above the law.
It slammed the report by the UN Special Rapporteurs criticising the Enforcement Directorate action on Ayyub, saying, “We expect SRs (Special Rapporteurs) to be objective & accurately informed.”
It said the UN Office in Geneva by citing a “misleading narrative” was only tarnishing its own reputation.
The tweet by India’s UN Office read: “Allegations of so-called judicial harassment are baseless & unwarranted. India upholds the rule of law, but is equally clear that no one is above the law. We expect SRs (Special Rappoteurs) to be objective & accurately informed. Advancing a misleading narrative only tarnishes @UNGeneva’s reputation.”
India’s Permanent Mission in Geneva will send a Note Verbale to the UN Office in Geneva. They will also take it up with the UN Office in Geneva, said sources.
On Monday, the UN Office in Geneva tweeted a report by two “experts” or Special Rapporteurs – Irene Khan and Mary Lawlor – on Ayyub. The tweet said: “Relentless misogynistic and sectarian attacks online against journalist @RanaAyyub must be promptly and thoroughly investigated by the #Indian authorities and the judicial harassment against her brought to an end at once, stress @UN_SPExperts,” and attached the report.
The report by the two SRs, said, “Independent investigative journalist and woman human rights defender Rana Ayyub continues to be the victim of intensifying attacks and threats online by far-right Hindu nationalist groups”.
