Training on Rights of Acid Attack survivors and Implementation of the Law . 28th and 29th April 2018 Training on Rights of Acid Attack Survivors and Implementation of the Law 1 Training on Rights of Acid Attack Survivors and Implementation of the Law July 2018 Coordinators Shaheen Malik Sneha Mukherjee Deepak Singh Minutes Shebani Rose Verma Afreen Bano Khan Devika Report Compilation Devika Editor Proofs Photography Zoriah at http://www.zoriah.net/ (Cover) Richa Published by Human Rights Law Network (A division of Socio-Legal Information Centre) 576, Masjid Rd, Bhogal, Jangpura, New Delhi, Delhi 110014, India Ph: +91-11-24379855/56 Email: [email protected] 2 AKNOWLEDEMENTS I would like to thank everyone from Human Rights Law Network and the Centre for Constitutional rights for their relentless support in making the training successful. This program would not have been possible without the continued efforts of the Meer Foundation and Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi. Finally, I would like to thank HRLN’s founder Colin Gonsalves, for his constant, fierce, unapologetic work on behalf of all marginalized and vulnerable communities in India for the past three decades. Shaheen Malik National Coordinator Campaign against Acid Attack 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Background: Understanding Acid Attack 5 Summary 7 Training Report Introduction 9 Supreme Court Decisions On Acid Attack 10 Overview of the Plight of Acid Attack Survivorsand the poor implementation of the law 11 Acid Attack Survivor Testimonies 14 Role of NGO’s 22 Role of Police 25 Role of Doctors 26 Landmark Judgements of High Court 30 Acid Attack Survivor Testimonies 31 Role of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority 33 Role of Journalists and Media Persons 35 Role of the Delhi Commission for Women 37 Role of Academic Institutions 38 Acid Attack Survivor Testimonies 39 How to litigate in Criminal Courts 42 Scope of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) 44 Constitutional Provisions 47 Statutory provisions 47 Landmark Cases 50 Significant High Court Decisions 86 Annexures 138 4 BACKGROUND UNDERSTANDING ACID ATTACK Acid Attack is an attack or attempt to attack a Justice for acid attack survivors has evolved person with the intention to disfigure, torture, through the years with the judiciary taking or kill, using acid or any other kind of the lead in setting the tone for compensation corrosive substance. Such an attack results in and rehabilitation of the survivors. Right from permanent physical disfigurement, damage the accessing continuous free medical to internal organs, as well as death in some treatment to compensation and rebuilding cases. For victims who survive this attack, their life, the battles a survivor has to face are there is a constant battle of survival for the endless. rest of their life coupled with complete Right from immediate medical assistance, to disability and crippling depression. psychological counselling services for India records at least 300-500 cases each year. survivors and their family, and providing legal There were no separate statistics for acid aid for compensation, following up the trial violence cases in India until the early 2013 as procedure, sending representation letters to Indian Criminal Law did not recognize it as a the state governments and concerned separate offence. With the amendment in the authorities on behalf of the victims and/or Indian Penal Code in 2013 (The Criminal Law filing writ petitions for compensation as well (Amendment) Act, 2013), incidents of acid as for the enhancement of such attacks are now being recorded as a separate compensation and rehabilitation; a survivor offence under Section 326A and 326B of the needs to be assisted throughout this long and Indian Penal Code. Despite the aforesaid, often cumbersome journey. there has been a steep rise in the number of HRLN through its acid attack initiative seeks cases. While there are Supreme Court to make use of existing laws to oppose all guidelines set out in the case of Laxmi v Union forms of violence against women and gender- of India (2013)1 regarding the regulation of based discrimination. Primarily, HRLN aims to sale and procurement of acid, acid is still cover all needs and requirements of a readily available over-the-counter. survivor, post the acid attack, and their subsequent rehabilitation. 1Laxmi vs. Union Of India and Ors. (WP (CRIM) 129/2006) 5 HRLN also holds regular meetings with It also connects with organizations that help doctors and government organizations such in providing vocational training to the as the Women’s Commissions, State Legal survivors and help with their rehabilitation. Services Authorities and Departments of HRLN also publishes books and reports to Women and Child Development to apprise document attacks, provide information on the them about the various cases and related data issue, and gather support for the survivors. collected by us. 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Centre for Constitutional Rights in procedures and the schemes for collaboration with Meer Foundation and the compensation and rehabilitation that Jamia Hamdard University organized the survivors could avail. Sessions by medical National Meeting and Training on Rights of experts clarified various issues regarding first Acid Attack Victims and Implementation of aid, surgery, different treatment procedures Law on the 28th and 29th April 2018. and the advances in medical technology which would only help survivors cover further. Through this collaboration, HRLN and CCRI Each survivor hailing from different corners of intended to bring out the stories of the the country recounted their experiences, survivors, their struggles in an effort to help shared their stories and spoke about the create awareness as well as provide a change they wanted to see in the platform for discussing the law as it stands on implementation of the law. acid attack and the way forward. The two-day training programme witnessed advocates, Each survivor's story lent inspiration and expert medical professionals, and other motivation to the other, creating a bond of stakeholders come under one roof with the women and men who have shown immense survivors and discuss the detailed procedure strength in fighting for their rights. The two- of law, compensation, criminal procedure, day session of learning concluded with a investigation, medical procedures, and the session on the way forward, where key issues impact on the lives of the survivors and their which can be taken up as issues of Public families. Interest Litigation were narrowed down and it was decided to proceed on a dual strategy - Primary emphasis was on understanding not with cases in High Courts as well as Supreme just compensation but also the support Courts, depending on the issues, states and mechanism needed for survivors throughout judges concerned at the same time ensuring their lifetime. Experts convened session on advocacy continues at the ground level. understanding the nuances of the criminal 7 NATIONAL COURSE ON RIGHTS OF ACID ATTACK SURVIVORS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAW INTRODUCTION Dr. Seyed Ehtesham Hasnain, Vice Chancellor, Jamia Hamdard University welcomed the survivors, activists, lawyers and all the guests to Jamia Hamdrad University. Dr. Seyed spoke about about the need to increase awareness among the people about the work that is being done by such organizations like HRLN, CCRI and Meet Foundation. He spoke about the low number of organisations that work on the issue of Acid Attack. He also shed light on issues beyond acid attack such as housing rights, refugees, death penalty and other forms of violence against women which also demand the need to be brought to the Jamia Hamdard University’s Vice-Chancellor Dr. limelight through advocacy and litigation. Seyed Ehtesham Hasnain He emphasised on the Jamia Hamdard facilities and faculty and that the University is always willing to help and collaborate with organisations such as HRLN and CCRI for any further events and trainings, reflective how the university started, as a place that grew of “Hamdard”. 8 Dean, Jamia Hamdard, SM Khan with VC Dr. Seyed Ehtesham Husnain and Colin Gonsalves SUPREME COURT DECISIONS ON ACID ATTACK Colin Gonsalves, Senior Advocate, Human Rights Law Network Dr. Colin Gonsalves commenced the session explaining that the aim of everyone present here should be to make the movement against acid attack much stronger. He advised the network to come together and fight against the myriad of issues survivors face. Together, he said, bringing about change would be much easier. Dr. Colin Gonzalves, Senior Advocate, Human Rights Law Network 9 Brief History of Acid Attack Litigation An insight into the history of litigation around acid attack was given in this session. Prior to the case Laxmi vs. Union of India2 of not many cases of acid attack came into the limelight primarily because they were not being reported and the limited awareness about this crime in mainstream media, amongst legal practitioners and the justice delivery machinery as well. It was in Laxmi’s case that compensation of rupees 3 lakhs was ordered by the Supreme Court of India. All thoughit is still meagre compared to the expenses that a survivor has to incur, Laxmi’s Case set a precedent on free treatment, compensation and sale of acid. The next big development with regards to litigation was the case of Parivartan Kendra vs.Union of India3, where the survivor Chanchal, had to undergo at least 8 reconstruction surgeries for which a sum of 3 lakhs would not be enough in any manner. Only after presenting the bills and predicted expenditure reports did the Supreme Court decided to order for a compensation of rupees 13 lakhs. From practical experience, it is known that even a sum of 13 lakhs is still also not enough for compensation. It is therefore, the right time for the movement against acid attack to come together and push these boundaries of compensation set by the constitutional courts.