India: Hate crimes against Muslims and rising Islamophobia must be condemned

Indian authorities must ensure that there is no impunity for those responsible for public lynchings and other hate crimes against Muslims in several states, Amnesty International India said last week.

Since April 2017, at least ten Muslim men have been lynched or killed in public in suspected hate crimes, amid a rising tide of Islamophobia in the country. The attacks have contributed to a growing sense of insecurity for many Muslims, and intensified religious tensions. On 28 June, demonstrations against the attacks on Muslims are being held in several cities across India.

“The pattern of hate crimes committed against Muslims with seeming impunity - many of them in states where the Bharatiya Janata Party is in power - is deeply worrying. Unfortunately both the Prime Minister and various Chief Ministers have done little to show that they disapprove of this violence,” said Aakar Patel, Executive Director, Amnesty International India.

“This growing trend of Islamophobia needs to be stopped in its tracks. The Indian Prime Minister, senior BJP leaders and Chief Ministers must break their silence and unequivocally condemn the attacks. State police departments must ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

This is a summary of the report:  https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/06/india-hate-crimes-against-muslims-and-rising-islamophobia-must-be-condemned/