The United Nation's human rights experts have advanced a misleading narrative by alleging "judicial harassment" targeting journalist Rana Ayyub, said the Indian mission in Geneva on Monday. The issue will be taken up formally by the mission which is expected to send a diplomatic note of protest, or note verbale, sources said.
"Allegations of so-called judicial harassment are baseless and unwarranted. India upholds the rule of law, but is equally clear that no one is above the law. We expect the Special Rapporteurs to be objective and accurately informed," said the Indian mission in Geneva.
Earlier, the UN human rights experts had said Ms. Ayyub was facing "relentless misogynistic and sectarian attacks online" and demanded these threats should be investigated by the Indian authorities.
"Ms Ayyub has been subjected to legal harassment by the Indian authorities in relation to her reporting for a number of years," stated a declaration from UN experts Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right of freedom of opinion and expression and Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. The international observations came days after the Enforcement Directorate attached ₹1.77 crore belonging to Ms. Ayyub.
Linked to trolling
ED's action was based on an FIR filed in Uttar Pradesh that accused her of diverting money that was collected through crowd funding to provide relief to the pandemic affected people. The UN experts have described the actions by the agencies as a move to legitimise the online harrassment and "death and rape threats" that Ms Ayyub has been facing.
"The lack of condemnation and proper investigation by the Government, coupled with the legal harrasment it has itself inflicted on Ms. Ayyub, has only served to falsely legitimise the (online) attacks and attackers and further endangered her safety," the officials said in the statement in solidarity with the Indian journalist.
The Special Rapporteurs and Independent Experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. The experts work as "independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms" to identity country-specific situations. It is understood that these officials work as volunteers and do not receive a compensation or salary for their work.
The Special Rapporteurs and Independent Experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. The experts work as "independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms" to identity country-specific situations. It is understood that these officials work as volunteers and do not receive a compensation or salary for their work.
