The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said the remarks of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR) regarding the arrest of activist Teesta Setalvad were "unacceptable". MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi defended the arrest of Ms. Setalvad and said the matter was being conducted in "accordance" with law. The government, however, did not respond to a criticism that came from the office of the Secretary General of the UN following the arrest of journalist and fact checker Mohammed Zubair.
"We have seen a comment by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding legal action against Teesta Setalvad and two other persons. The remarks by the OHCHR are completely unwarranted and constitute an interference in India's independent judicial system," said Mr. Bagchi.
Earlier the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said, "We are very concerned by the arrest and detention of Teesta Setalvad and two ex-police officers and call for their immediate release. They must not be persecuted for their activism and solidarity of the victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots."
