India: UK promises to closely follow the proceedings in the case of Stan Swamy & “will continue to monitor progress on the rights of Dalits and indigenous people in India” & says “human rights defenders make an essential contribution to the promotion of the rights of their fellow citizens.”

Jun 6, 2023 | News

Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and The UN)
Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH

The Lord Alton of Liverpool
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW

6 June 2023

Dear David,

Thank you for your correspondence of 22 May about human rights defenders in India.
Human rights defenders make an essential contribution to the promotion of the rights of their fellow citizens.

The UK Government has a broad and deep partnership with the Government of India and we discuss all elements of our relationship. Where we have concerns, we raise them directly with the Government of India, including at Ministerial level.


We engage India on a range of human rights matters, working with Union and State Governments, and with civil society, to build capacity and share expertise to promote human rights for all. Any allegation of human rights abuses is deeply concerning and must be investigated thoroughly, promptly, and transparently. I speak regularly with the High Commissioner of India, and human rights forms part of that dialogue.


I was greatly saddened to learn of Father Stan Swamy’s passing in July 2021.

The British High Commission in New Delhi and Deputy High Commission in Mumbai had been monitoring Father Swamy’s case closely and will continue to monitor progress on the rights of Dalits and indigenous people in India.

Yours sincerely,

LORD (TARIQ) AHMAD OF WIMBLEDON
Minister of State
Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict

Lord David Alton

For 18 years David Alton was a Member of the House of Commons and today he is an Independent Crossbench Life Peer in the UK House of Lords.

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