Delhi High Court asks Centre, police to frame SOP for arrest, detention of transgender persons
The petitioner submitted that in May, the NHRC issued the ‘Advisory for Ensuring the Welfare of Transgender Persons, 2.0’ for formulation of a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure to govern the arrest, detention, search, interrogation and imprisonment of transgender persons The high court here on Wednesday asked the Centre and Delhi Police to take appropriate steps for the formulation of an SOP on the arrest and detention of transgender persons here. A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued notice to the central government, police as well as the Delhi government on a public interest litigation (PIL) by a law student, and asked them to consider an advisory by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the issue. The plea by Taaran Chandna said while the Delhi Police has a standing order for the arrest of women and senior citizens, it is “wholly silent” on transgender persons. The petitioner submitted that in May, the NHRC issued the ‘Advisory for Ensuring the Welfare of Transgender Persons, 2.0’ for formulation of a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to govern the arrest, detention, search, interrogation and imprisonment of transgender persons. However, no such SOP or guideline has been formed for Delhi, he said. “We call upon the Union of India, the Delhi Police and the State government to file their reply. In the meantime, we direct that the advisory issued in May 2026 shall be considered and appropriate steps as permissible in law shall be taken,” the bench said. The court also asked authorities to file an affidavit detailing the steps taken by them in compliance with the advisory and listed the matter for hearing on November 18. In the PIL, Chandna said the SOP governing the arrest and personal search of transgender persons by Delhi Police was needed to protect their fundamental rights to bodily integrity, dignity, equality and non- discrimination guaranteed under the Constitution of India. The “concrete and continuing harm” due to the “vacuum” can be seen when the police in May 2025 arrested three transgender persons in an FIR, the plea said. It alleged that despite one of them possessing female genital anatomy and another holding a valid Certificate of Identity, all three were personally searched by a male police officer “without any enquiry into their gender identity, without seeking self-declaration, and without consent”. Courtesy : The Telegraph Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetelegraph.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Madras HC orders probe into allegations of Dalit prisoners being forced to clean toilets
A division bench of Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel passed the directions while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Madurai-based advocate KR Raja. The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Monday, August 31, directed authorities to investigate allegations of prisoners from marginalised communities being forced to clean toilets and carry out manual scavenging work in prisons in Madurai, Trichy and Tirunelveli districts. A division bench of Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel passed the directions while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Madurai-based advocate KR Raja. Raja alleged that prisoners belonging to marginalised communities were being assigned sanitation work, including toilet cleaning and manual scavenging, at the Madurai Central Prison. He alleged that similar practices existed at the Palayamkottai Central Prison in Tirunelveli district and the Trichy Central Prison. According to the petitioner, certain blocks and barracks in the Madurai and Palayamkottai prisons had allegedly been demarcated for prisoners from marginalised communities. The prisoners in those blocks were allegedly made to clean around 150 toilets, both inside cells and outside barracks. The petitioner claimed that only two sanitary workers had been appointed for the entire prison despite overcrowding. Raja also alleged that similar practices were being followed at the Special Prison for Women in Trichy. According to him, some women prisoners had been permitted to work at the Freedom Petrol Bunk operated by the prison authorities as part of rehabilitation measures. However, the petitioner claimed that instead of working at the petrol bunk, they were made to clean toilets and other sanitary areas on the premises. The petitioner also disputed the prison authorities’ claim that municipal services alone were engaged to clean toilets. Raja, the co-founder of Global Network for Equality, India, an organisation that supports the education of children of inmates and crime victims, said he had made representations to prison authorities in 2025 seeking an end to caste discrimination and legal action against officials responsible for such practices. He also sought preservation of CCTV footage from January 16, claiming that it would help establish whether prisoners had been made to clean toilets and drainage systems. Referring to the Supreme Court’s 2024 judgement in Sukanya Shantha vs Union of India, which dealt with caste discrimination in prisons, and the prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the petitioner argued that such practices were discriminatory and violated the dignity of prisoners. The petitioner had alleged that conditions in several district prisons in southern Tamil Nadu were even worse and sought directions to prevent caste discrimination, manual scavenging and the assignment of toilet-cleaning work to prisoners from marginalised communities. However, the prison authorities denied that such practices existed. After hearing the petition, the High Court directed the Principal District Judges and the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) secretaries of Madurai, Trichy and Tirunelveli to inspect the respective prisons and verify the allegations. The DSLAs were also directed to inquire the prisoners, examine CCTV footage and submit status reports to the court. The superintendents of the respective prisons were separately directed to file reports on the allegations. The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 4. Courtesy : TNM Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewsminute.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rajasthan High Court questions police as probe into attack on Dalit family changes hands six times
High Court seeks affidavits from investigating officers and supervisory committee over delay in probe into alleged land encroachment and attack on Dalit family The police investigation into a case of alleged land encroachment and attack on a Dalit family in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district changed hands six times in the last two years, prompting the High Court to intervene. There was also a complete absence of supervisory review of the pending probe. The victim, Jitendra Kumar, 24, a resident of Bharatpur’s Bayana block, moved the High Court seeking a fair investigation, completion of the probe and filing of a chargesheet in the case. The first information report (FIR) was registered on May 10, 2024, following an attack on Mr. Kumar and his family members. The “politically influential” people who allegedly attacked the Dalit family in Kair village in a bid to encroach upon its agricultural land also registered an FIR against the victims. Though the police found the counter-case to be frivolous, the original case has been probed by as many as six investigating officers without any conclusion. “Despite the lapse of 26 months and a provision in the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, for completion of probe in 60 days, the police have failed to act,” Mr. Kumar said in his writ petition. The investigating officers included a Circle Officer and five Additional Superintendents of Police, including one serving in the civil rights cell. The offences for which 12 accused belonging to the Gujjar community were booked under the Indian Penal Code and the SC/ST (PoA) Act included rioting, attempt to commit culpable homicide, causing grievous hurt, unlawful assembly, criminal trespass and criminal intimidation. The present investigating officer, Dinesh Kumar Meena, stated in the High Court that the offences against the accused had been proved and the result of the probe would be submitted in the trial court within two weeks. Justice Shubha Mehta at the High Court’s Jaipur Bench observed earlier this week that the failure to complete the investigation in time was “concerning” and no satisfactory reason had been given for the delay. The petitioner also stated that calling him to join the probe every time after the change of hands amounted to his harassment. The court directed the Public Prosecutor to obtain affidavits from all investigating officers named in the factual report, “explaining why the probe was not completed in 60 days and reasons for the subsequent delay”. Similar affidavits were also sought from the officers forming the supervisory committee under Rule 7(3) of the SC/ST (PoA) Act. Welcoming the High Court’s order, the Centre for Dalit Rights (CDR) said here on Sunday (August 23, 2026) that the investigation could have been completed and the accused arrested if the authorities had complied with the statutory review mechanism. The matter will come up in the court for further hearing on September 7. The members of the supervisory committee include the Home Secretary, Director General of Police, Social Justice & Empowerment Secretary, and Director of Prosecution. CDR Director Satish Kumar said though the committee was required to review pending cases under the SC/ST (PoA) Act once every quarter, the meetings were not held regularly and no relief was granted to Dalit victims. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Who Killed My Family?’: Rajasthan Court Acquits All 40 Accused in 2015 Dangawas Dalit Massacre, Cites Police and CBI Probe Failures
A special court in Rajasthan’s Merta has acquitted all 40 accused in the 2015 Dangawas massacre case, in which six people, including five Dalits, were killed, citing serious lapses in the police and CBI investigation. The court held that while the massacre was proven, the prosecution failed to establish the involvement of any particular accused beyond reasonable doubt. Court Says Investigation Failed to Link Accused to Crime Delivering its verdict after an 11-year trial, the Special Court for SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act cases observed that investigators failed to conduct a Test Identification Parade (TIP) after the arrests and did not collect DNA samples from the accused to match blood recovered from the crime scene. The court also noted delays in forensic examination and said investigators could not establish any forensic connection between the recovered weapons and the accused. Although forensic reports confirmed the presence of human blood on some seized weapons, the blood groups could not be conclusively matched with the deceased or injured victims. “It is not proved which party initiated the incident… The prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the absence of the right of private defence,” the court said, adding that the evidence did not meet the required legal standard for conviction. 2015 Dangawas Massacre The violence took place on May 14, 2015, in Dangawas village of Rajasthan’s Nagaur district over a decades-old land dispute. According to the CBI charge sheet, nearly 200 people travelling on tractors and motorcycles allegedly attacked members of the Dalit Meghwal community who had set up a camp on disputed agricultural land. Five Dalits — Ratnaram, Pokharram, Pancharam, Khemaram and Ganpatram Meghwal — were killed, while 11 others, including five women, sustained injuries. Another man, Rampal Goswami, also died during the violence in a separate incident that remains subject to a different criminal case. The dispute centred around a 23-bigha plot of land allotted to Dalit farmer Bastaram Meghwal in 1961. The ownership was later transferred to his adopted son Ratnaram. The CBI alleged that tensions escalated after Ratnaram attempted to reclaim possession of the land, culminating in the deadly attack. Court Highlights Multiple Procedural Lapses The court pointed to several deficiencies in the investigation, including the failure to conduct identification parades, recover weapons from the accused, and seize or forensically examine tractors allegedly used during the attack. It also noted that no witness identified all 40 accused and that several witnesses admitted they knew only a few members of the alleged mob. The Central Forensic Science Laboratory visited the crime scene 21 days after the incident, by which time no weapons were recovered. In its judgment, the court remarked that the incident itself was beyond dispute but the prosecution failed to legally establish who was responsible. “What occurred on 14.05.2015… was beyond any doubt a heinous and heart-wrenching mass violence. What has not been proven is the connection, beyond reasonable doubt, of any particular accused to that violence,” the court observed. It further clarified that the acquittal did not mean the crime never occurred, but only that the perpetrators could not be identified through admissible evidence. Victims’ Families Question Verdict Speaking to The Wire after the verdict, Arjunram Meghwal, whose father Ratnaram was among those killed, said he was devastated by the acquittal and questioned how no one could be held responsible for the massacre. “I had hoped that those who murdered my father and other relatives would be punished. But today, after the court’s decision, I don’t know what to do. If nobody is guilty, then who killed my family? Did they die themselves?” he said. Arjunram, who was also injured in the attack, said he witnessed the killings and could not understand how the accused had been acquitted. His family has said it will challenge the verdict before the Rajasthan High Court. Victims’ counsel Abdul Salim Ansari alleged that the investigation had been weak from the beginning, claiming that the police omitted names mentioned by eyewitnesses in the FIR and later added others, creating inconsistencies that persisted throughout the trial. Activists, Congress Criticise Verdict Dalit rights activist Bhanwar Meghvanshi told The Wire that the acquittal exposed the difficulties Dalits face in securing justice. He argued that despite the CBI filing chargesheets, the prosecution failed to establish the case in court. “This shows how difficult it is for Dalits to get justice. This is eroding trust in the justice system and the constitutional guarantee of justice,” he said, urging the Rajasthan government to challenge the trial court’s judgment before the High Court. Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also criticised the verdict, questioning how all 40 accused could be acquitted when six people had lost their lives. He said the outcome highlighted serious shortcomings in the investigation and prosecution and demanded accountability from the BJP government. Meanwhile, counsel for the accused welcomed the verdict, maintaining that the investigation had not been fair and asserting that the accused had no role in the violence. The defence also claimed the disputed land belonged to their clients and rejected allegations that a large armed mob had gathered before the incident. Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Minorities, Dalits and deprived sections must unite to fight for their constitutional rights, say intellectuals
Meeting presided over by Justice Ranjit Singh (Retd.), former Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court The representatives of the Sikh, Muslim and Dalit communities, along with intellectuals and social activists, on Saturday resolved to establish a common front to raise concerns over the constitutional rights and equal opportunities of deprived minorities and marginalised sections. The resolution was adopted at a joint meeting of Sikh, Muslim and Dalit thinkers held at Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, here, to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur. The meeting was presided over by Justice Ranjit Singh (Retd.), former Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. GeographicReference Former Rajya Sabha MP Mohammad Adeeb said that the Muslims who remained in India after Partition and Sikhs who supported the Indian Union on the assurances of Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel now feel those promises have not been fulfilled. He said that if the BJP seeks to establish a ‘Hindu Rashtra’, it should obtain the people’s mandate through a national referendum. The gathering observed that although India adopted democracy, secularism and constitutional governance after Independence, the successive governments have increasingly pursued policies favouring the majority community and upper-caste interests. Former Chief Justice Iqbal Ansari alleged that the ruling establishment promotes religious polarisation by setting one community against another for electoral gains. Noted Sikh scholar Gurtej Singh, IAS (Retd.), endorsed the proposal for a united platform of minorities and deprived communities and recalled that Sant Harchand Singh Longowal had entrusted him with initiating dialogue with Muslim leaders as early as 1983. The participants further stated that many minorities and deprived communities have been reduced to second-class citizens and are being used as scapegoats for advancing Hindutva politics. They stressed the need for minorities, Dalits and other marginalised sections to unite on a common platform to safeguard their rights and dignity. Among those who addressed the gathering included Prof Sham Singh (President), Dr Pyara Lal Garg, Gurpreet Singh (Global Sikh Council), Daya Singh Delhi, Anzarul Bari, Rajwinder Singh Rahi, Senior Journalist Jaspal Singh Sidhu, Surinder Singh Kishanpura and several other distinguished speakers. Courtesy : The Tribune Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetribune.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Allahabad High Court’s Important Directive: A QR Code-Based System Should Be Implemented to Prevent Fake Caste Certificates in Uttar Pradesh
To curb the circulation of fake caste certificates in Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court has given the Yogi government a crucial suggestion to implement a new system based on QR codes and software. Uttar Pradesh: Expressing serious concern over the increasing number of fake caste certificates, the Allahabad High Court has issued a crucial suggestion to the Uttar Pradesh government. The court believes that a software and QR code-based certification system should be implemented for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). This new technology will directly combat fraud. The High Court clarified that this technology-based verification system will bring transparency to the entire process, eliminate arbitrary powers held by officials, and curb the issuance of fake caste certificates. The court also noted that adopting such innovative measures will facilitate proper audits and provide a reliable means of verifying the authenticity of issued certificates. This significant observation was made by a division bench of Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh and Justice Swarupama Chaturvedi while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The PIL was filed by the UP Koli Kori Pratinidhi Sabha. The petition drew the court’s attention to a serious ground reality. The petitioner organization alleged that Scheduled Caste certificates were being issued to members of the “Koli” caste, even though this caste is not recognized in the Scheduled Caste list. This was happening simply because its pronunciation resembles that of the “Kori” caste, which is actually listed as a Scheduled Caste. The petition alleged that local officials were issuing certificates to the wrong people based solely on similar names or spellings, a direct violation of the President’s orders. No one appeared on behalf of the petitioner during the hearing. However, Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal presented his case on behalf of the state government. Given the gravity of the matter, the division bench strongly criticized the flaws in the current verification process. The court stated that the current system empowers lower-level officials with excessive privileges. Prima facie, it appears that modern technology is so capable that the state government can provide a robust and transparent software-based system for SCs, STs, and OBCs. This will eliminate the unnecessary and unchecked powers held by officials up to the tehsildar level, which often lead to the issuance of questionable or incorrect certificates. Following these strong and important observations by the High Court, Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal sought time from the court to obtain necessary instructions from the relevant officials. In its July 2 order, the division bench directed the matter to be listed for further hearing on July 23. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
‘Rape’ of Dalit woman: Kerala HC denies bail to Palakkad councillor
The Congress councillor was expelled from Palakkad District Congress Committee after the political controversies over the allegations against him The High Court had earlier denied an anticipatory bail plea, which had claimed that the allegations lacked merit and that there were errors in the investigation. The High Court had earlier denied an anticipatory bail plea, which had claimed that the allegations lacked merit and that there were errors in the investigation. | Photo Credit: RK Nithin The Kerala High Court on Monday (June 29, 2026) dismissed the bail plea of Prasobh Valsan, a councillor of Palakkad Corporation, in the alleged rape of a Dalit woman. The High Court had earlier denied an anticipatory bail plea, which had claimed that the allegations lacked merit and that there were errors in the investigation. However, the court had noted that the prosecution had made out a prima facie case for his arrest and denied the plea. Following this, Mr. Valsan had surrendered to the police at the Palakkad Town Station. Congress expels Palakkad councillor over sexual assault complaint Mr. Valsan was expelled from the Palakkad District Congress Committee after the political controversies over the allegations against him. The Dalit woman had alleged that Mr. Valsan had entered her house under the pretext of offering her a job and then raped her. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rahul Gandhi files application in MP HC, expresses regret over remark against Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s son
Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s son Kartikeya Singh filed a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, alleging that Gandhi mentioned his name while referring to Panama Papers leak case, damaging his reputation. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court with an application expressing regret for his allegedly defamatory statement about Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s son Kartikeya Singh. Kartikeya Singh had filed a defamation complaint in a Bhopal court against the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Gandhi’s application, filed by his lawyer on Wednesday, said his statement was not related to Singh. In the defamation complaint lodged in the Bhopal court for cases against MPs-MLAs, Kartikeya Singh alleged that during an election rally in Jhabua in 2018, Gandhi mentioned his name while referring to the Panama Papers leak scandal, thus damaging his reputation. The court issued a summons to Gandhi for personal appearance, following which the Congress leader moved the HC seeking to quash the summons as well as the defamation case. Justice Pramod Kumar Agarwal will hear Gandhi’s petition on Thursday. The petitioner on Wednesday produced the records of the lower court, as directed by the HC. Advocate Sankalp Kochhar represented the complainant before the high court. Responding to Gandhi’s regret application, Kartikey through his counsel on Thursday said that he didn’t intend to escalate the issue any further, so the proceedings before the MP HC as well as the trial court in Bhopal be closed. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rajgir Dalit Massacre: CPI-ML demands High Court investigation, punishment for the guilty, jobs and compensation for the victims’ families; warning of nationwide agitation
CPI-ML has attacked the government over the mob lynching of two Dalit youths in Rajgir, Nalanda district, and the police action against villagers demanding a degree college in Nagarnausa. Party leaders questioned the administration at a press conference on Wednesday after meeting with the families of the victims and affected people. The press conference was addressed by CPI-ML MP Sudama Prasad, MLA Sandeep Saurabh, former MLA Manoj Manzil, and former MLA Gopal Ravidas. They demanded an investigation into the Rajgir massacre by a sitting High Court judge, severe punishment for the culprits through a speedy trial, and compensation and government jobs for the victims’ families. Government failing to control crime MP Sudama Prasad alleged that crime is continuously increasing in Bihar and the government has completely failed to control it. He said that “encounter raj” prevails in the state, while criminals are carrying out crimes with impunity. Prasad questioned the government’s silence on the mob lynching of two Dalit youths in Rajgir. He demanded that the case be investigated under the supervision of a sitting High Court judge and that the culprits be punished with rigor by conducting a speedy trial. He also demanded compensation of ₹50 lakh each for the families of the deceased and a government job for one family member. Sudama Prasad also alleged that instead of taking action against criminals, the government is targeting the poor, laborers, Dalits, and those raising legitimate demands. Police entered homes and assaulted people in Nagarnausa Paliganj MLA Sandeep Saurabh said that while the Chief Minister constantly talks about taking strict action against criminals, incidents of murder, rape, and other crimes are continuing unabated in the state. He alleged that the administration brutally treated students and villagers protesting for a degree college in Nagarnausa. Police entered homes and beat people, breaking down the doors of approximately 300 houses, and arresting several people and sending them to jail. Saurabh claimed that even minor girls were assaulted during the operation. He demanded the immediate suspension of the local police station in-charge, action against the guilty officers, the unconditional release of the 39 arrested individuals, and the withdrawal of all cases. He said that a degree college should be established in the Nagarnausa block headquarters, as this has been a long-standing demand of local youth. The DM and SP should be held accountable. Former MLA Gopal Ravidas said that incidents of mob lynching are continuously increasing in the state, which is extremely worrying. He held the Nalanda district administration responsible for the Rajgir incident and demanded that the DM and SP be held accountable. He demanded that the district administration be held accountable for the entire matter and that an impartial investigation be conducted into the allegations against the chief priest of the Jhunukia Baba complex. A spectacle in the name of encounters Former MLA Manoj Manzil said that crime has reached its peak in the state. Incidents of atrocities against Dalits, women, and vulnerable groups are on the rise. He alleged that the police are attempting to suppress many cases instead of providing justice. Manoj Manzil said that a “spectacle in the name of encounters” is being staged, while crime and insecurity persist on the ground. CPI-ML leaders warned that if the government does not seriously consider their demands, the party will consider launching a statewide movement. Courtesy; Hindi News
Kerala HC dismisses PIL against free KSRTC bus travel for women, transgender persons
The Kerala High Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the state government’s newly-launched “Priyadarshini Scheme, which provides free travel to all women and transgender persons in ordinary KSRTC buses. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar VM dismissed the PIL petition that sought to quash the Government Order (GO) which introduced the scheme. “There is nothing before us that Exhibit P1 G.O is contrary to the statutory norms or is perverse or illegal. Hence the litigation fails and it is dismissed,” the Court pronounced. The court rejected the argument that a few affluent beneficiaries could invalidate a welfare scheme targeted at broader socio-economic empowerment. The PIL petitioner, Muhammed Firdouz, challenged the scheme on the ground that it was arbitrary, discriminatory, and violative of Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India. He claimed that there was no income criterion, residential qualification, or specifically identified disadvantage that was sought to be remedied by the scheme which would cost the public exchequer approximately Rs.2 crores per day or around Rs.800 crore per annum. “The Impugned GO itself acknowledges the financial impact by creating a ‘dedicated cash-transfer mechanism’ and directing the KSRTC CMD to develop non-fare revenue sources, which is an admission that the scheme imposes a significant, ongoing burden on a public institution already receiving Rs. 1,500 Crore per year in State support, now burdened with an additional Rs. 800 Crore without any demonstrated operational, social, or constitutional necessity,” the petition stated. The state government submitted that similar travel schemes are available in different parts of the country and contended that gender-based affirmative action has been affirmed by the Supreme Court. Courtesy : The Statesman Note: This news is originally published on https:/thestatesman.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights