The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has launched an urgent appeal in support of staff members of the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and the India Committee of the Netherlands (ICN).

CCC and ICN are being threatened with arrest and imprisonment for their efforts to inform the public about labour conditions at a Bangalore factory.The Observatory calls upon organisations and individuals to contact the Indian authorities to ensure that CCC and ICN staff, as well as labour rights activists in India, may freely report on labour and human rights violations in the garment industry without threat of harassment.

In 2006 the Garment and Textile Workers Union (GATWU), the New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI) and human rights organisations Cividep and Munnade reported incidences of labour rights violations at the jeans company FFI/JKPL in Bangalore. At the request of the company, the groups were silenced by a judicial gag order. In May 2007 the international human and labour rights organisations CCC and ICN, who joined the Indian organisations in their efforts to improve the situation at FFI/JKPL, were accused of defamation and summoned to appear in court. Again the request came at the behest of FFI/JKPL.

The Observatory has expressed its concern that India will not live up to international standards for human rights "in a context where the judiciary seems to favour policies favourable to transnational corporations at the expense of human rights". In particular the Observatory refers to India's current membership on the Human Rights Council, and its commitment as a member to "uphold the highest standards of promotion and protection of human rights".

Please support the CCC and ICN by writing to Shri Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, and circulating the Observatory’s urgent appeal through your networks.
Go to: http://www.fidh.org/spip.php?article4860

The Observatory is a venture of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT).