Assault on RCT-partner in India
Death threats against and assault on leader of RCT’s Indian partnerorganization.
Lenin Raghuvanshi, founder and leader of RCT's Indian
partnerorganization People's
Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), has been assaulted
on his way back from an evening meeting in Varanasi. Lenin
Raghuvanshi has a history of death threats and was knocked to the
ground at beaten and kicked several times.
He has been treated at the hospital and is under the circumstances
doing well.
PVCHR has worked with RCT since 2008. The organization works
towards a democratic India in respect of human rights. The
organization does advocacy work and works with campaigns to
increase awareness at an international-, national- and at
grass-root level. PVCHR works to educate communities about
their human rights, and focuses especially on the rights of
marginalized groups. They also work to prevent police torture, and
to secure the right to food and education. PVCHR has developed a
special capacity as a knowledge centre promoting testimonial
therapy for psycho-social rehabilitation of torture
survivors.
"I'm glad Lenin is okay, though shaken. Unfortunately this isn't
the first time he has been assaulted", states Erik Wendt, RCT
program manager for Asia.
"It's difficult know the exact motive, but as far as I'm informed
it has to do with PVCHR being engaged in an election process in
Varanasi".