People's Watch Andhra Pradesh is a human rights organization, which has been engaging itself in the protection and promotion of human rights. This is a NATIONAL PROJECT on "PREVENTING TORTURE IN INDIA: FROM PUBLIC AWARENESS TO STATE ACCOUNTABILITY supported by the European Union and (FNSt) Friedrich Naumann Stiftung. This project is being implemented in 9 states of INDIA. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar.

The main objectives of the project:

• Highlight individual cases of torture as and when they occur.

• Improve institutional response to instances of torture by
Demanding state accountability.

• Advance an ethic of responsibility and restraint among
law enforcement officers.

• Educate and enlist professional groups such as lawyers,
social activists, doctors, psychiatrists, journalists
and teachers in the campaign to prevent and eliminate torture.

• Raise public awareness of torture as an unlawful and
Widespread abuse of police powers.

• Promote favourable policy outcomes in the form of
anti-torture legislation and fulfilling of commitments
to existing international treaties.

The Project In Andhra Pradesh is concentrating in five districts. Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medak, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar. Six Torture cases would be documented in each district every month, which would Account to 30 cases per month. These fact-findings will subsequently provide the basis for targeted legal interventions at the district level, state level and national level.

There is no specific domestic law for TORTURE. India had signed the convention of Torture in 1997 and is yet to be ratified. This project would pave way to ratify the convention and its optional protocol and establish domestic law on torture in INDIA.

State Director

M. S. Giri