Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell says he has been released from ‘house arrest’ in India but has been warned not to take part in any protests during the remainder of his Indian visit.
Tatchell and his colleague Pliny Soocoormanee said they were questioned by Indian police, detained in their hotel room and had the possessions searched, but have now provided an update saying they have been allowed to leave their hotel, but both are still banned from “protesting, lobbying, leafletting or holding a press conference” about human rights abuses by nations likely to bid to host the 2036 Olympics.
The activists had had planned to stage a human rights picket, and lobby delegates and journalists, at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Congress, which is taking place in Mumbai from 15-17 October at the Jio conference centre.
The veteran LGBTIQA+ rights campaigner said British authorities had helped secure their release.
“Ending our detention in our hotel rooms, and the 24-hour police guard, followed representations made to the Indian authorities by the British Foreign Office global response team. We are very grateful for their assistance.
“We are still being denied the right to raise human rights abuses with the IOC. It is not compatible with India’s professed democracy to ban us from ‘protesting, lobbying, leafletting or holding a press conference’ about human rights abuses by nations likely to bid for the 2036 Olympics. Reported bidding nations include China, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar and Indonesia. They are all autocratic regimes that variously violate the rights of women, LGBTs, migrant workers, atheists, refugees and ethnic and religious minorities.
“The Indian constitution guarantees freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly and protest. We never came to India to quarrel with the Indian government but it is picking a fight with us.
“It felt ominous when a group of police came to our hotel room close to midnight on Saturday Mumbai time. But they had come to tell us that our hotel detention had been rescinded and we were free to roam. The officers urged us to stop posting on social media about our campaigns and the police restrictions imposed on us. Clearly, they are embarrassed by the bad publicity about our detention in our hotel and the ban on our protest,” Tatchell said.
Tatchell has a long history of protesting human rights abuses, but has at times been accused of overstating the reaction he receives from authorities.
Last year Tatchell had a run in with authorities in Qatar when he staged a protest in the lead up to the country hosting soccer’s World Cup. Authorities accused the campaigner of misrepresenting his interaction with them, and local activists criticised his stunt. Tatchell spoke to OUTinPerth soon after and explained his motivations for staging the protest.
His work was documented in the film Hating Peter Tatchell.
OIP Staff
You can support our work by subscribing to our Patreon
or contributing to our GoFundMe campaign.
