Statement by Greek activists, academics, writers and students
Varavara Rao, a poet, a writer, an activist and an advocate of democratic and social rights for decades against the arbitrariness of Indian governments, has been jailed for almost two years along with ten other activists, lawyers, journalists, etc. …
Counter Currents / by Atul and Sandeep Pandey
Professor Sudha Bharadwaj has been in jail since August 2018. She was taken into police custody on 26 August 2018 on suspicion of being involved in Maoist terror activities after Republic TV claimed that she had allegedly written a letter to Maoists and was conspiring to create public disorder and unrest in India. The channel felt no shame in broadcasting that the elderly Professor was planning to murder the Prime-Minister of India. The police arrested her subsequently and she has been kept in jail continuously since then.
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The New Indian Express / by T J S George
There was neither common sense nor political sense in putting Telugu poet and activist Varavara Rao in jail two years ago without trial and bail.
There was neither common sense nor political sense in putting Telugu poet and activist Varavara Rao in jail two years ago without trial and bail. He did support Naxalite excesses, but jailing a writer for that is equivalent to giving his writing more mileage. As it happened, authorities excelled themselves in foolishness.
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India Legal / by Srishti Ojha
Even though international treaties and the apex court have batted for the right of prisoners to healthcare, recent cases have shown that governments will show no leniency when it comes to activists.
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Hindustan Times / by Charul Shah
Dr. Teltumbde had moved bail plea on the ground that NIA had failed to file a charge sheet within the stipulated 90-day timeframe, but the special court extended its deadline.
The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Friday rejected the application of the academic and social activist Dr. Anand Teltumbde, who is an accused in the Elgar Parishad/Bhima Koregaon case.
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Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff
Teltumbde had opposed the court’s decision to extend the NIA’s time to file a chargesheet by 90 days.
A National Investigation Agency court on Friday rejected the bail plea of academic Anand Teltumbde, who is an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, the Hindustan Times reported.
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25/07/2020
By Amnesty India
Varavara Rao’s daughter, Pendyala Pavana tells Amnesty International India that the National Investigative Agency is being vindictive and cruel to her father.
Listen to interview
24/07/2020
The Wire / by The Wire Staff
24/07/2020
Other than a confirmation about his positive COVID-19 test, Rao’s family says in the letter, they have received no information whatsoever about his health.
New Delhi: Unable to access information about Varavara Rao’s health from hospital authorities, his family has written to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Rao, who tested positive for COVID-19 and has several co-morbidities, is currently at Mumbai’s Nanavati Hospital.
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24/07/2020
Live Law / by Nitish Kashyap
The family of jailed Telugu poet and literary critic Varavara Rao, who recently tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently undergoing treatment at Nanavati Hospital, have written to the National Human Rights Commission seeking their urgent intervention and directions to hospital and jail authorities to provide regular official health updates to them.
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The Indian Express / by Satish Deshpande
The fact that Dubey was yet to be charged under any law while Rao has been charged under a special law should not blind us to the essential similarity they share — the state took unfair advantage of its custodial power over them. But the real danger such cases pose is that they always carry in their background the suggestion of popular support, which sometimes ripens into an explicit claim.
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Live Law / by Nitish Kashyap
In a fresh medical report submitted before the Bombay High Court on Thursday by the jail authorities at Byculla District Jail, it has been submitted that advocate and activist Sudha Bharadwaj, who is seeking bail on medical grounds, is suffering from ischemic disease which leads to reduced supply of blood in the body.
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The Quint / by Shorbori Purkayastha
Podcast: Is it ethical for Bhima Koregaon accused Varavara Rao to be refused interim bail in this pandemic?
Should we be looking at heath conditions or the gravity of offense for prisoners seeking interim bail on health grounds in view of the pandemic?
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The Indian Express / by Express News Service
Hyderabad: As many as 520 Telugu poets, writers and artists on Wednesday urged Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde, Chief Justice of the Maharashtra High Court Dipankar Datta and the State’s Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to ensure the release of jailed revolutionary poet Varavara Rao and Delhi University professor GN Saibaba.
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