Skip to content or view mobile version

Home | Mobile | Editorial | Mission | Privacy | About | Contact | Help | Security | Support

A network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues.

Indian court orders 'arrest without bail' of Dutch activists

features list | 05.12.2007 20:36 | Repression | Social Struggles | Technology | Workers' Movements | World

A court in Bangalore has issued an order for the 'arrest without the possibility of bail' of seven campaigners over their websites postings about labour conditions of an Indian supplier of fashion label G-Star. The activists are from the Clean Clothes Campaign and the India Committee of the Netherlands; the director of their Netherlands based ISP, Antenna, is included.

The case could have implications for activists posting anything on the web, with the court using the Convention on Cyber Crime to call for extradition. It all happens with the backdrop of the continuing campaign about labour conditions and particularly the huge number of child workers in India coming up against the religion of 'free trade'.

The case has been running for some time now. As the legal threats get worse the campaign are asking for solidarity. As G-Star is the only remaining buyer from the jeans manufacturer at which the CCC and ICN have highlighted the labour rights violations they are asking people to make demands of them listing things you can do [cleanclothes.org]. In the UK No Sweat! have called a picket of G-star [nosweat.org] focusing on their Covent Garden store. There are lots of outlets around on their store locator [g-star.com].

Clean Clothes activists protest for Freedom to promote workers rights
Clean Clothes activists protest for Freedom to promote workers rights


Background

In 2006 the CCC and ICN launched a campaign to draw attention to severe labour rights violations at Indian jeans manufacturer Fibres and Fabrics International and its subsidiary Jeans Knit Pvt Ltd (FFI/JKPL). The campaign highlighted the workers own words. At the time FFI/JKPL were producing jeans for companies including G-Star, Armani, RaRe, Guess, Gap and Mexx and had a gagging order of local labour rights organizations that were informed about labour rights violations at the factory by workers in 2005. To date FFI/JKPL has refused to engage with the local labour groups to resolve the outstanding labour issues. For doing so while there was a gagging order the activists were accused of 'cyber crime', 'acts of racist and xenophobic nature' and 'criminal defamation' by the Indian jeans manufacturer Fibres and Fabrics International and its subsidiary Jeans Knit Pvt Ltd (FFI/JKPL). News 07 Sep 07 [cleanclothes.org]

As they did not travel to India in person for the first hearing of the case (no doubt to be kept in the country while the trial proceeded, something that could take years) the court ruled on Saturday that international warrants will be issued for their arrest.News 03 Dec 07 [cleanclothes.org]

Free Speech a Cyber Crime?

The potential restriction on free speech could have immense implications for all activists. Extradition is requested using the Convention on Cyber Crime, and its Additional Protocol.

The Original court order of June 14th 2007 [cleanclothes.org][pdf] referred to:

'The continuous publication and hosting of the false defamatory material on the website amounts to cyber crime and a cyberspace libel...' 'the representation of their alleged theories and ideas advocates and promotes hatred, discrimination and violence against the complainant and the country based on national origin thus being xenophobic in nature...' 'publish material to insult the country and the complainant publicly through a computer system on grounds of national origin...' 'All the accused... commission of the cyber crime of publication of xenophobic material'.

This according to the Indian court makes potentially 'criminal defamation' of telling Indian workers own stories from interviews [schonekleren.nl][pdf] and publicising the results of a fact finding mission extraditable under the Additional Protocol.

In 2001 when the Council of Europe drew up the Convention they explicitly left out integration with the European Convention on Human Rights. At the time activists were highlighting it could be used to restrict freedom of speech, now it seems they may have been right. Two years later as the Council drafted the Additional Protocol to target racism and xenophobia on the internet again they seemed to ignore differences of freedom of expression that exist around the world.

There is a handbook on the Convention on Cyber Crime for activists [cyber-rights.org][pdf]

Campaigners pawns in global free trade power game

The escalation of this case times itself with the growing push by Indian Commerce Minister, Kamal Nath, to increase foreign trade and stop international campaigns particularly about child labour in India. Nath has been removing restrictions on trade, and claims that governments supporting NGOs that are campaigning about working conditions in his country are 'disguised protectionism' [depers.nl][dutch]

Who knows maybe the tactics are working? On Friday 30th November, the EU and India released their Joint Statement of the 8th India-EU Summit [ue2007.pt]. It spends much time praising growth in 'multilateral trade', and while mentioning efforts on climate change they are also 'recognising the importance of strengthening transportation links ... the growing importance of India-EU civil aviation'. There is no explicit mention ofworking conditions and child labour, just that they have a 'strengthening of the EU-India dialogue and cooperation on employment and social policy on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding' with its visits and seminars.

India's government, its manufacturers, and the companies they supply are however under immense pressure from non-governmental and grassroots groups about the use of child labour. The country has some of the highest number of children under 15 working, sometimes in terrible conditions. The most recent case to highlight this was the Observer's exposure of a factory producing for GAP kids [guardian.co.uk], 'child workers as young as 10 found working in conditions close to slavery... the children described long hours of unwaged work, as well as threats and beatings.' GAP has no long the target of campaigns about sweatshops and labour, so this time GAP moved quickly at this exposure.

This is not the first time Kamal Nath has played the free trade card to try and remove some external pressure on standards within the country. In 1994 as Minister for the Environment he pushed for the de-linking of environmental standards from trade [65.108.190.76][rtf]. Also while he was Environment minister a commercial venture of his damaged the environment [wikipedia.org] so much so he was later fined Rs 1.000.000 by the High Court

Links

Clean Clothes Campaign in the UK newswire

Recent coverage on Indymedia NL [Dutch]

features list

Additions

Pressure on G-star starts to work

07.12.2007 10:30

G-star have announce they have their final order with FFI. They said that the bad publicity surrounding the company was the reason. The international arrest warrants have still not been lifted, and G-star is still not clearly accepting responsibility towards creating pressure on FFI for the future livelihood of the workers in the factory in India or the accused campaigners. Report: G-Star on their knees.

imc'er


Addition

14.12.2007 18:28

"I would like to avoid mixing up the discussion around child labour and the
FFI case, CCC never accused FFI of child labour, but it has been mixed up
in the media, in the media it has been said that CCC accused FFI of child
labour which is not true, so I would prefer if you can keep these two
different discussions apart,

"In our court case the cyber crime convention is not used,
although we are accused of racism, xenophobia, cyber crime, slander, we are
summoned for defamation only (Indian Penal code); the cyber crime
convention does not hold because India didn't sign this convention

"I would like to add that thus far the court didn't look at this case on
content (whether it is slander yes or no), it is only procedural,
according the Indian penal code you have to be appear in person in court
which we didn't (on advice)"

imc'er


FFI 'Case Closed'

29.01.2008 14:52

At the beginning of 2008, Clean Clothes Campaign and India Committee of the Netherlands (CCC and ICN), and Fiber & Fabrics International along with its subsidiary Jeans Knit Private Limited (FFI/JKPL), have resolved their differences as to labour conditions at the Indian clothing production facilities of FFI/JKPL. In consultation with local organisations and unions in Bangalore, an Ombudsperson in Bangalore will be appointed to resolve future problems. Should employees, local organisations, CCC or ICN have any complaints concerning labour conditions, they can submit these to the Ombudsperson, who will attempt to resolve them. Employees will be free to organise themselves in a union of their choice. On the basis of this agreement, CCC and ICN are confident that any violations of labour rights will be reported in a timely fashion and will be resolved in a correct manner. Parties therefore no longer require the courts to provide judgement on the difference of opinion as to the allegations put forward by local Indian organisations, and disputed by FFI/JKPL, as to events lying in the past (2005/2006). Therefore, the Indian company withdraws all legal proceedings, and CCC and ICN bring to an end all campaigns against FFI/JKPL and the Dutch jeans brand G-Star. CCC and ICN applaud the fact that G-Star, as the most important former client of FFI/JKPL restores their commercial relationship with FFI/JKPL."

 http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/ffi.htm (english)
 http://www.schonekleren.nl/bedrijven/ffi.htm (nederlands)

Clean Clothes Campaign (repost)


Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

FFI may drop defamation case against Dutch NGO

07.12.2007 10:33

Economic Times India, BANGALORE: Fibres and Fabrics International Pvt Ltd (FFI), the Indian apparel supplier to global brands like G-Star and Mexx, may drop a defamation case filed against a Dutch NGO that accused its subsidiary Jeans Knit of having poor workplace conditions.

The move to drop the case against Clean Clothes Campaign, the Indian Committee of the Netherlands and internet company Antenna follows a request by FFI's customer G-Star to settle the matter out of court.

"As of today I am being forced to withdraw all my cases despite the fact that it has been proved beyond doubt that all the allegations are unsubstantiated", said FFI Director (Manufacturing) Ghiase (one name) told reporters today.

Earlier, CCC had persuaded G-star, FFI's only client left after the allegations surfaced, to place future orders only after FFI withdraws the court case.

A local court had, on Saturday, issued international arrest warrants against eight Dutch nationals, including the activists of CCC and ICN, acting on the suit filed by FFI.

CCI and ICN had launched a campaign in 2005 against alleged labour rights violation at FFI and Jeans Knit.

Claiming that the allegations were false and baseless, Ghiase said: "None of the allegations leveled by the NGO have been substantiated... They have turned themselves into a fact-finding committee of a local NGO and have made allegations which have not been proven."

"We have been subjected to innumerable audits by the government, labour commission (and) our customers following the campaign and allegations leveled by them," he said.

However, all the audits have not been able to prove anything, he said.

FFI also lost its SA-8000 certification after it approached a court seeking to stop a local NGO from passing on any information about it, Ghiase said. Denying that there had been any labour violation, he claimed that the company provided free food, transport and looked after the welfare of its workers.

However, the constant bad publicity received by its customer, including G-Star, was resulting in pressure being mounted on FFI to withdraw the cases.

"We might have no other option but this (withdrawing cases)", he said, adding that a decision on the matter would be taken soon.

 http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Garments__Textiles/FFI_may_drop_defamation_case_against_Dutch_NGO/articleshow/2601246.cms

repost


FFI decides not to drop cases against CCC, ICN

10.12.2007 10:48

Economic Times, BANGALORE: Fibres and Fabrics International Limited (FFI), the Indian apparel supplier to global brands like Gsar and Mexx, on Saturday said it has decided not to drop legal cases against a Dutch NGO that accused its subsidiary Jeans Knit of having poor workplace conditions.

The move not to drop the cases against Clean Clothes Campaign and the Indian Committee of Netherlands comes in wake of G-star deciding that it would stop sourcing its material from FFI.

"It is very unfortunate that G-star has taken a decision to stop sourcing with us. This will cause social and economic harm to both companies and countries", FFI Director (Manufacturing) Mohammed Ghiase told PTI here.

"The democratic right to seek justice is being used as the last resort. It is our only last resort to defend ourselves. The board of directors of FFI and JKPL decided to conclusive continue legal cases", he said.

However, he also added, "We hope the present intervention of the Dutch Government would yield positive results".

A local court on Saturday had issued international arrest warrants against eight Dutch nationals, including the activitsts of CCI and ICN, acting on a suit filed by FFI.

CCN and ICN had launched a campaign in 2005 against alleged labour rights violation at FFI and its wholly owned subsidiary Jeans Knit Private Limited (JKPL).

Earlier, FFI claimed that pressure was being mounted on various fronts, including from its key client G-star, to withdraw the cases of defamation filed by FFI and that it had perhaps would have no option but to withdraw the cases.

CCI and ICN had been urging G-star to stop sourcing material from FFI unless it implements conducive labour conditions within its factory premises.

 http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Cons_Products/Garments__Textiles/FFI_decides_not_to_drop_cases_against_CCC_ICN/articleshow/2606588.cms

repost


Upcoming Coverage
View and post events
Upcoming Events UK
24th October, London: 2015 London Anarchist Bookfair
2nd - 8th November: Wrexham, Wales, UK & Everywhere: Week of Action Against the North Wales Prison & the Prison Industrial Complex. Cymraeg: Wythnos o Weithredu yn Erbyn Carchar Gogledd Cymru

Ongoing UK
Every Tuesday 6pm-8pm, Yorkshire: Demo/vigil at NSA/NRO Menwith Hill US Spy Base More info: CAAB.

Every Tuesday, UK & worldwide: Counter Terror Tuesdays. Call the US Embassy nearest to you to protest Obama's Terror Tuesdays. More info here

Every day, London: Vigil for Julian Assange outside Ecuadorian Embassy

Parliament Sq Protest: see topic page
Ongoing Global
Rossport, Ireland: see topic page
Israel-Palestine: Israel Indymedia | Palestine Indymedia
Oaxaca: Chiapas Indymedia
Regions
All Regions
Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World
Other Local IMCs
Bristol/South West
Nottingham
Scotland
Social Media
You can follow @ukindymedia on indy.im and Twitter. We are working on a Twitter policy. We do not use Facebook, and advise you not to either.
Support Us
We need help paying the bills for hosting this site, please consider supporting us financially.
Other Media Projects
Schnews
Dissident Island Radio
Corporate Watch
Media Lens
VisionOnTV
Earth First! Action Update
Earth First! Action Reports
Topics
All Topics
Afghanistan
Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-Nuclear
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Fracking
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Policing
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista
Major Reports
NATO 2014
G8 2013
Workfare
2011 Census Resistance
Occupy Everywhere
August Riots
Dale Farm
J30 Strike
Flotilla to Gaza
Mayday 2010
Tar Sands
G20 London Summit
University Occupations for Gaza
Guantanamo
Indymedia Server Seizure
COP15 Climate Summit 2009
Carmel Agrexco
G8 Japan 2008
SHAC
Stop Sequani
Stop RWB
Climate Camp 2008
Oaxaca Uprising
Rossport Solidarity
Smash EDO
SOCPA
Past Major Reports
Encrypted Page
You are viewing this page using an encrypted connection. If you bookmark this page or send its address in an email you might want to use the un-encrypted address of this page.
If you recieved a warning about an untrusted root certificate please install the CAcert root certificate, for more information see the security page.

Global IMC Network


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv
video

Africa

Europe
antwerpen
armenia
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
belgrade
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
croatia
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liege
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
madrid
malta
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
northern england
nottingham imc
paris/île-de-france
patras
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
sardegna
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
toscana
ukraine
united kingdom
valencia

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
colombia
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
tijuana
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
brisbane
burma
darwin
jakarta
manila
melbourne
perth
qc
sydney

South Asia
india


United States
arizona
arkansas
asheville
atlanta
Austin
binghamton
boston
buffalo
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
sarasota
seattle
tampa bay
united states
urbana-champaign
vermont
western mass
worcester

West Asia
Armenia
Beirut
Israel
Palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech