Suhas Haldankar
Suhas Haldankar is a human rights defender and Right to Information activist. He exposed the inefficiency of local officials in the Kharalwadi area of Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, in the State of Maharashtra, which has raised human rights concerns due to the lack of basic amenities and discriminatory practices, for example, the lack of public toilets for women.
Human rights defenders in India face a diverse range of attacks and harassment for their wor defending the rights of others, including killings, torture, ill-treatment, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, smear campaigns, and judicial harassment. People defending the rights of marginalised communities are targeted by state and non-state actors alike. Armed groups and private companies also target HRDs and community leaders for work related to economic development projects and their impact on the local communities or the environment. HRDs have also been labelled as "insurgents" or “Naxalites” (Maoists), in an attempt to discredit their work and justify their targeting.
