Friday, February 03, 2012

Assault on RCT-partner in India



Assault on RCT-partner in India
Published 01.02.2012

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".

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