A panel of UN experts has called on the Indian Government to immediately release Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal.
The panel stated that Christian’s detention was arbitrary and violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD), which operates under the office of the UN high commissioner for human rights, formally released its findings in Michel’s case late on Friday in Geneva.
Michel, a British national, has been held in India since December 2018 after being extradited from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Michel is currently held in Delhi’s Tihar Jail. He was earlier living in Dubai when India sought his extradition for involvement in alleged irregularities in the 2010 deal to acquire 12 AgustaWestland helicopters worth 556.2 million Euros for the transportation of VVIPs.
At the time, Michel was a middleman and an external consultant for a subsidiary of AgustaWestland.
“Taking into account all the circumstances of the case, the appropriate remedy would be for the Government of India to release Mr. Michel immediately”. WGAD stated.
It further added, “In the current context of the global Covid-19 pandemic and the threat that it poses in places of detention, the Working Group calls upon the Government of India to take urgent action to ensure the immediate release of Mr. Michel.”
The WGAD was very critical in its evaluation of the handling of Michel’s case by the governments of the UAE and India. WGAD stated that both countries should
“accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law”.
However, there was no immediate response from Indian officials to WGAD’s report.
The WGAD also urged the governments of India and the UAE to ensure a full and independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Christian Michel. And also to take appropriate measures against those responsible for the violation of his rights.
The group concluded that Michel’s detention violated both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
It further referred Christian’s case to the UN as “Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
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