In India, a court has sentenced nine police officers to death for the custodial deaths of a father and son in 2020.
P Jeyaraj, 58, and his son Benicks, 38, died while in custody in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, days after their arrest for allegedly violating Covid-19 lockdown regulations by keeping their mobile phone shop open.
The sentencing judge stated on Monday that the two men were stripped and brutally assaulted in front of each other, characterizing the case as a clear abuse of power.
“They did this with the intention of killing,” the judge declared.
The officers, convicted of murder last month, retain the right to appeal their sentences.
At sentencing, the judge emphasized, “They attacked unarmed people. They should not be forgiven. They should not be given lesser sentences based on their age or family background. They are all educated.”
Initially, ten police officers were arrested in connection with the deaths; however, one of the accused died of Covid-19 in 2020.
The case sparked widespread protests in Tamil Nadu, with state opposition lawmakers among those participating.
Prominent figures, including opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, used social media to demand justice for the victims.
The deaths have also reignited concerns about police brutality in India.
Rights groups report that hundreds of individuals die in custody in India annually, alleging that torture and abuse to extract confessions have become routine policing practices.
Earlier this year, UN experts urged India to implement significant reforms to modernize its policing system in accordance with international human rights standards.