UN GROUP ASKS INDIA TO RELEASE CHRISTIAN MICHEL
NEW DELHI: 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, as his 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 UAE. The WGAD was very critical in its evaluation of the handling of Michel’s case by the governments of the UAE and India and said both countries should “accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law”. Even before the formal release of WGAD’s opinion, external affairs ministry had last month rejected group’s reported findings and said the conclusions were based on “limited information, biased allegations from an unidentified source and on an inaccurate understanding of India’s criminal justice system”. There was no immediate response from Indian officials to WGAD’s report and this report will be updated when there is one. The WGAD said that, “taking into account all circumstances of case, the appropriate remedy would be for the Government of India to release Mr Michel immediately”. The group concluded that Michel’s detention violated both Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.