CSW welcomes UN review of religious freedom issues

The wide-ranging engagement between India and a large number of UN member states, especially on freedom of religion issues was welcomed by the Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) on Friday.

The thirteenth session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group is being held in Geneva from 21 May to 4 June. India is one of the 14 countries whose human rights records will be examined by the 47-member Human Rights Council (HRC).

"India indicated its readiness to engage with the full gamut of recommendations made during this UPR process, and we look forward to seeing the fruits of this across numerous human rights areas," said CSW's South Asia leader David Griffiths.

In terms of freedom of religion or belief, he said the agenda of Indian civil society groups working on this issue was reflected in numerous statements.

"There were clear calls to deal effectively with communal violence, abolish poorly-framed anti-conversion laws, and end the specific religious discrimination that exists against Christian and Muslim Dalits," he pointed.

While terming it as unfortunate that India offered no substantive response to criticism of anti-conversion laws, Griffiths said he hoped hope the UPR process will encourage progress towards safeguarding religious freedom and access to justice for all.

CSW had earlier made a range of recommendations to India in its stakeholder submission, including ending the specific religious discrimination against Dalit Christians and Muslims, repealing anti-conversion laws, and completing the process of passing a law dealing with communal violence.

"India should repeal anti-conversion legislation currently in force in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh states. India should ensure that any instances of coercive behaviour in the manifestation of religion be prosecuted instead under the provisions of the IPC," CSW said on anti-conversion laws.

While commending India for its attempt to pass legislation dealing with communal violence, CSW said the country should make certain any such law is implemented at all levels throughout the country.

CSW also recommended India to reverse the culture of impunity for perpetrators of communal violence and implement existing legal provisions to prevent the "advocacy of religious hatred, incitement to religious violence and political exploitation of communal distinctions".

"India should carry out further remedial measures to address the aftermath of communal violence, including by bringing perpetrators to justice and delivering an adequate level of compensation," the Christian advocacy group added.