[Kracktivist] Hunger Strike by more than 200 Political Prisoners in Maharashtra

Today, 23rd March, day of hanging of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukdev were hanged in jail by the British, is being observed by a day-long hunger strike by over 200 `political prisoners‘ in various jails in Maharashtra, including the Angela Sontakkey and four women prisoners in Byculla women’s jail and Sidharth Bhosale and Deepak Dengle of Kabir Kala Manch who are lodged at Arthur Road jail. [...]

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[Kracktivist] Citizens’ Statement on the arrest of Journalist Kazmi

The undersigned condemn the arrest of senior journalist Syed Mohammad Kazmi by the Delhi Police Special Cell in connection with the attack on Israeli diplomat last month. Mr. Kazmi’s arrest is reminiscent of the arrest and false allegations against another veteran journalist, Iftikhar Gilani, several years ago. We fear that Mr. Kazmi may be made a scapegoat in order to please an international lobby. It is no secret that Israel held Iran culpable within minutes of the attack, and there has been immense pressure on India to sever its ties with Iran—both from Israel and US (to the extent that US displayed its obvious unhappiness to foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai over the fact that India was not heeding the unilateral sanctions imposed by the US on Iran.) [...]

Read the full statement here.

[Kracktivist] International Women’s day March in Mumbai Demands Freedom for Soni Sori

Via Kracktivist

More than 500 women associated with various, women organizations, trade unions, health and human rights organisations came together at VT station to celebrate International Women Rights day, by raising their voices against all forms violence against women and vociferously raised slogans on true democracy and freedom, they demanded freedom for all including – workers,laborer, dalits, minorities, adivasis and all of us vociferously demanded

FREEDOM FOR SONI SORI AND PUNISHMENT FOR ANKIT GARG!!

[...]

Read the rest of the piece here.

Human Rights Watch writes to the Prime Minister re Soni Sori’s Custodial Torture

Via Kractivist

[...] We urge your government to establish an independent and impartial investigation into Soni Sori’s torture allegations, and ensure her immediate access to health care without police interference. Because we are concerned that her treatment reflects broader problems facing incarcerated women in India, we also ask that you initiate a review of conditions for women detainees and prisoners generally, including torture allegations and access to health care.

The Chhattisgarh state police charged Soni Sori, a 35-year-old mother
and former teacher, with crimes related to being a Naxalite supporter. Her defense lawyer told Human Rights Watch that they have accused her in a spate of cases, alleging she was evading arrest when she was actually present and working in a residential school for tribal children. [...]

Read the full letter here [pdf download].

Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression (WSS) Member from Bhilai arrested – Adv. Rekha Parganiha

Rekha Parganiha (Photo via WSS)

Via Kracktivist

In a letter addressed to the Honourable Justice KG Balakrishnan, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission.

We, the members of WSS, a national platform of women’s groups, are alarmed at the news of another woman activist, Advocate Rekha Parganiha, arrested in Chhattisgarh in relation to suspected Maoist links. A newspaper story (attached) indicates that Advocate Parganiha was picked up from her house in Bhilai on Sunday (March 4th) and was remanded into police custody on March 5th for 5 days, until March 10th.

We are deeply concerned at the long duration of police remand, especially in the wake of recent reports of custodial sexual violence perpetrated by Chhattigarh police, and considering that the only evidence that exists against the accused so far consists of writings of Bertolt Brecht, Bhagat Singh, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

We would like to remind you that Chhattisgarh police has a track record of subjecting women under trials, especially those accused of political offences, to brutal torture. Soni Sori, an adivasi school teacher, was subjected to extreme sexual violence by the Chhattisgarh police while she was in their custody in October 2011. [...]

Read the full letter here.

[Video] Hunger strike only option to get basic human rights in Prison – Arun Ferreira

Via Kracktivist

Arun Ferreira speaking at the Human Rights Education Seminar at St Pius College, organised by the South Asian Human Rights Education Centre.

[Kracktivist] Women’s Organisations Condemn the Arrest of Paraplegic woman in Jaipur

Jaipur,

1st March, 2012

Under the leadership of Dr Pawan Surana, Ex chair of the State Women’s Commission women’s organisation with representation from trade unions protested outside the Vidhan Sabha against the arrest of Seema a parpaplegic in an abduction and conspiracy case. As is well known Seema is herself a victim of sexual torture by the Pratap Nagar police station SHO and other constables who are presently lodged in Jail and the trial is underway. ( FIR no 51/2011). Probably in the history of Indian Criminal justice system a paraplegic of this sort was never arrested and the Rajasthan police has made history.

According to the groups the arrest of Seema in the Hina case (50/2011), is part of the design to prevent the witnesses of Seema in the sexual torture case to give their statements against the SHO and his colleagues. They also have been arrested as conspirators in the case and are lodged in the same jail where Ram Niwas vishnoi is. The main agenda of the arrest of the police has been to discredit Seema and her witnesses and save Ram niwas Vishnoi. [...]

Read the full piece here.