U.N.-recognised Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions keeps NHRC waiting over ‘political meddling’

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For the second time in a decade, the U.N.-recognised Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) deferred the accreditation of National Human Rights Commission, India (NHRC-India) citing objections like political interference in appointments, involving the police in probes into human rights violations, and poor cooperation with civil society...

This came two months after seven human rights watchers/institutions wrote to GANHRI objecting to NHRC Indias A rank..

The letter, written by Amnesty International, CSW, Front Line Defenders,Human Rights WatchInternational Commission of Jurists, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) to GANHRI, maintained that since 2017, instead of following through on the assurances that the NHRC has given to the GANHRI, the functioning of the commission hasfurther regressed, undermining its independence and adherence to the Paris Principles...

Responding to The Hindu, the NHRC-India said that the GANHRI, through theSub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) is responsible for reviewing and accrediting NHRIs in compliance with the Paris Principles every five years.As part of this process, the review of the NHRC-Indiawas due in March 2023 for its reaccreditation, which has been deferred for a year, meaning thereby no final decision has been taken as yet...

Indias top human rights body added that the process of reaccreditation has not concluded and the SCA has recommended advocating with the government and Parliamentarians for certain legislative amendments to improve compliance with the Paris Principles...

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