New Delhi: The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), a civil rights group, has assisted the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in securing the release of three Rohingya refugee minors in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh.
According to the APCR, as many as 16 Rohingya refugees, including minors, were arrested by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the UP Police on July 7, 2023, from Hapur, under sections of the Foreigners Act, 1946. The APCR’s UP (West) chapter, which is representing all detained refugees, secured the minors’ release on Aug. 29, 2023. They have not committed any offence and have no criminal antecedents.
The national secretary of the APCR, Mr. Nadeem Khan informed that the JJB guaranteed minors’ release for a bail amount of Rs.20,000.
Last month in its major crackdown on refugees, the ATS had arrested about 74 Rohingya Muslims, accusing them of illegally entering India from Myanmar and Bangladesh. The arrests were made in six districts of the state including 31 from Mathura, 17 from Aligarh, 16 from Hapur, four each from Ghaziabad and Meerut and two from Saharanpur. According to the Rohingya Human Rights Initiative group the detained people had been living in the area for about 10 years after fleeing persecution in Myanmar. The arrested Rohingya Muslim immigrants include 55 men, 14 women and five minors.
Mr. Khan told this correspondent that the rights group is pursuing the cases of Rohingya refugees because many of them have valid documents and UNHCR cards. “First, the APCR has followed up the case of minors. Later, it is trying to seek bail for other refugees who have valid documents,” Mr. Khan added.
Set up in 2006, the APCR is composed of advocates, legal experts, paralegal volunteers and social activists working across the country to defend the human rights of all citizens, especially marginalised groups and vulnerable people.