The Hindu : Other States / Jammu & Kashmir News : 'Human rights violation a threat to all'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 07, 2004

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Other States - Jammu & Kashmir

'Human rights violation a threat to all'

JAMMU, APRIL 6. Emphasising the importance of human rights in a democracy, NHRC chief and former Chief Justice of India, A. S. Anand, has said human rights violation anywhere is a threat to the entire humanity and exhorted the media to create awareness among the public on the issue.

``No society is free and no state truly democratic unless human rights are actualised by citizens,'' Anand said delivering the first Lala Mulk Raj Sarf memorial lecture on human rights and role of media here yesterday.

The media plays a great role in educating the common man and bringing to the notice of all concerned factual realities for providing effective remedies, Anand said.

Dissemination of information and taking it to the masses to mould public opinion is the essential duty of media, he said.

As a developing country the range of human rights issues requiring media intervention are particularly wide, he said, adding the press has tremendous potential for protection and promotion of human rights.

The NHRC chairperson also said that human rights are our basic rights which are sacrosanct in any civilised country cutting across all national boundaries.

While lauding the role of media in bringing to notice the cruel fate of under-trail prisoners languishing in jails and the instances of custodial violence in police stations, Anand also advocated self-regulation for the media. He maintained that the constitutional guarantee of free speech and expression does not confer the right to defame persons.

-- PTI

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