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Exposing the machinations of authoritarian power: A profile of Vernon Gonsalves

Exposing the machinations of authoritarian power: A profile of Vernon Gonsalves

By The Polis Project

Profiles of Dissent is a series centered on remarkable voices of dissent and courage across the world. They are writers, poets, activists, human rights defenders and those who have been incarcerated for speaking truth to power.
Vernon Gonsalves is a human rights activist, writer and former professor in several colleges in Mumbai. As an advocate of the rights of marginalized communities, he is a vocal critic of India’s criminal justice system and of the State establishment. In 2007, he was imprisoned under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Arms Act, but he was released in 2013 after most of the charges made against him were disproved in Court. 
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Surendra Gadling permitted use of laptop in prison / Prosecution to hand over cloned copies

Surendra Gadling permitted use of laptop in prison / Prosecution to hand over cloned copies

Elgar Parishad case accused gets nod to use computer in jail

17/03/2022

Times of India / by TNN

The special NIA court on Wednesday allowed lawyer Surendra Gadling an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, to use a computer in jail for an hour, two days a week. Gadling had sought access to his laptop, submitting that he wanted to prepare his defence.
Meanwhile, the prosecution is to hand over the cloned copies of all the pieces of electronic evidence gathered in the case to the accused.
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Surendra Gadling permitted use of laptop in prison

16/03/2022

Free Press Journal / by Staff Reporter

A special court under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act has permitted the use of a laptop in Taloja jail for Bhima Koregaon accused and lawyer Surendra Gadling.
Gadling had sought to be allowed the use of the device as he is appearing in person in the case.
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Court allows Elgar case accused Gadling to use jail computer

16/03/2022

The Print / by pti

A special NIA court here on Wednesday allowed advocate Surendra Gadling, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, to use computer available in the prison where he is lodged, for an hour two days a week…
Meanwhile, the court allowed a plea of another accused, lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj who is currently on bail, to reside in Mumbai’s suburb of Oshiwara…
The court also granted a petition of Jyoti Jagtap, a co-accused, to receive a set of books.
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Consider health problems of activist Anand Teltumbde, Bombay HC tells Maharashtra

Consider health problems of activist Anand Teltumbde, Bombay HC tells Maharashtra

Consider health problems of activist Anand Teltumbde, Bombay HC tells Maharashtra

17/03/2022

Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff

The court’s observation came during a hearing regarding the activist’s mode of conveyance for visiting his home in Maharashtra’s Chandpur village.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the Maharashtra government to consider the health problems of activist Anand Teltumbde, who is custody in connection to the Bhima Koregaon case, reported Live Law.
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‘His Ailments Need To Be Considered’: Bombay HC In Bhima Koregaon Accused Anand Teltumbde’s Case

16/03/2022

Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim

The Bombay High Court told the Maharashtra Government that genuine problems faced by prisoners should be considered after the State complained about Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad accused – Anand Teltumbde’s – refusal to meet his mother.
In such matters broad consideration is necessary. If he is there with so many ailments then that needs to be considered. We don’t think there is any problem if you see from his point of view,” the court said.
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Bombay High Court asks government to consider Anand Teltumbde’s ‘genuine problems’

16/03/2022

The Hindu / by The Hindu Bureau

Jailed professor expressed inability to meet his mother by long train journey due to health issues
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday told the Maharashtra Government to “consider the genuine problems” faced by Professor Anand Teltumbde, accused in the Bhima Koregaon caste violence case, in taking a long train journey to meet his mother following the death of his brother in an encounter.
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Gautam Navlakha, in anda cell, permitted daily walk in prison

Gautam Navlakha, in anda cell, permitted daily walk in prison

Bhima-Koregaon accused Gautam Navlakha, in anda cell, permitted daily walk in prison

16/03/2022

Free Press Journal / by Bhavna Uchil

In a handwritten plea filed by Navlakha before the court on Dec 30 last year, he had sought that he be allowed an hour of fresh air and sun in the prison premises. He had submitted the plea when he was produced before the court that day along with his co-accused.
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Gautam Navlakha allowed 30 min out of anda cell

16/03/2022

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

Gautam Navlakha was arrested in April 2020 in connection with the case.
A special court on Tuesday allowed activist Gautam Navlakha, an accused in the Elgaar Parishad case, to be taken outside the anda cell he is lodged in at Taloja Central Prison for 30 minutes. Navlakha in his plea filed last December had said that he is 70 and lodged in the prison as an undertrial.
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Also read:
● All I ask is an hour to breathe in fresh air, soak in sun, rights activist Gautam Navlakha in plea (Free Press Journal / Dec 2021)
● How the ‘anda cell’ is used to discipline prison inmates (The Indian Express / Oct 2021)

India added to human rights watchlist as government blocks funding of NGOs and keeps activists behind bars

India added to human rights watchlist as government blocks funding of NGOs and keeps activists behind bars

By CIVICUS

● Government raids offices of NGOs and blocks foreign funding
● Journalists and activists targeted by Pegasus Spyware
● Activists in detention under draconian laws

India is currently rated Repressed by the CIVICUS Monitor. There are a total of 49 countries in the world with this rating (see all). This rating is typically given to countries where civic space is heavily contested by power holders, who impose a combination of legal and practical constraints on the full enjoyment of fundamental rights (see full description of ratings).

Read CIVICUS Press Release

Download India Country Research Brief

Bombay HC seeks reply of NIA, Maharashtra govt on plea filed by Father Stan Swamy’s next of kin

Bombay HC seeks reply of NIA, Maharashtra govt on plea filed by Father Stan Swamy’s next of kin

India Today / by Vidya

The Bombay High Court has issued notices to the National Investigating Agency (NIA) and the Maharashtra government, seeking their reply on a petition filed by Father Frazer Mascarenhas. Mascarenhas is the next of kin of late Father Stan Swamy who died while in judicial custody last year.
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HC asks NIA to respond to Varavara Rao’s plea for permanent bail, extends medical bail to March 21

HC asks NIA to respond to Varavara Rao’s plea for permanent bail, extends medical bail to March 21


VV Rao, Feb 2022

Bombay HC asks NIA to respond to Varavara Rao’s plea for permanent bail, extends medical bail to March 21

08/03/2022

The Leaflet / by The Leaflet

The High Court asked the NIA why the agency thought that now was the right time to challenge Rao’s medical bail, after having not challenged it earlier.
On Tuesday, the Bombay High Court while continuing the hearing for extension of Bhima Koregaon-accused activist P. Varavara Rao’s medical bail, asked the National Investigation Agency [NIA] to respond to his plea for permanent bail within two weeks.
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Bombay High Court seeks NIA response in permanent bail of Varavara Rao

08/03/2022

Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi

“Why can’t Rao be considered for permanent bail when there is a finding that placing him in custody is incompatible with his health condition,” a Bench of Justices SB Shukre and GA Sanap asked NIA.
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday sought the response of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and State prison authorities on the permanent bail application filed by Bhima Koregaon accused Varavara Rao.
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21 European MPs Express Concern at Treatment of Rights Activists / Solidarity at International Women’s Day

21 European MPs Express Concern at Treatment of Rights Activists / Solidarity at International Women’s Day

21 European MPs Write to Modi Expressing Concern at Treatment of Rights Activists

08/03/2022

The Wire / by The Wire Staff

The MEPs highlighted three particular cases: the arrest of 16 activists in the Elgar Parishad case, the arrest of 13 activists in connection with the protests against the CAA and the detention of Kashmiri activist Khurram Parvez.
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by FLD Brussels (March 8)

Members of @Europarl_EN sent a letter to high level authorities in #India raising the alarm over the dramatic escalation in arrests of HRDs under the #UAPA, incl the #BhimaKoregaon case, CAA protesters & #KhurramParvez, which they condemn in the strongest terms.

Read full letter & signatories at the website of MP Alviina Alametsä
Read full letter

click to enlarge

Rally at International Women’s Day, Berlin (Germany)

08/03/2022

By India Justice Project

On #InternationalWomensDay we remember especially the #womenpoliticalprisoners incarcerated by the Indian govt. In speaking out against their imprisonment, we speak out, too, for the multitudes of people whose struggles they have taken on and carry forward.

Banner: Free all political prisoners in India
Making legal aid effective for women prisoners / Sudha Bhardwaj on the time spent with women in prison

Making legal aid effective for women prisoners / Sudha Bhardwaj on the time spent with women in prison

Making legal aid effective for women prisoners

08/03/2022

The Leaflet / by Sudha Bharadwaj

If we are to do any justice to the Constitutional mandate of equality before law, and the right to legal representation, we must put in place a mechanism to provide competent and effective legal aid to all those who cannot afford it, particularly to those languishing in jail.
was in Byculla Jail, Mumbai, between February 2020 and December 2021. Prior to that, in Yerwada Jail, where I was lodged between November 2018 to February 2020, I had given an application to be permitted to help with legal aid, but that was refused, possibly since I and my co-accused Professor Shoma Sen, were lodged in separate cells in the Phansi Yard.
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Lawyer activist Sudha Bhardwaj on the time spent with women in prison

08/03/2022

National Herald / by Sudha Bharadwaj

Legal aid is a right guaranteed by the Constitution but it is virtually nonexistent and ineffective, recalls the lawyer-activist, who spent three years in jail as an accused in the Bhima Koregaon conspiracy case. Many inmates cannot follow the language and are not even aware of the name of their lawyer despite having signed the Vakalatnama. The judiciary needs to take a good, hard look at those who are in ‘judicial custody’.
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Also read:
● Sudha Bhardwaj and Shoma Sen extend solidarity to Women’s March from jail (Sabrang / March 2019)

The Security Playbook Used To Erode Democracy In Modi’s India & How The Tide Might Turn

The Security Playbook Used To Erode Democracy In Modi’s India & How The Tide Might Turn

article 14 / by Shamik Bag

By using security laws, deploying surveillance technology, and leveraging potent national interest narratives, Narendra Modi’s Hindu-first government has targeted critics and eroded the rule of law in India—often in violation of the Constitution, using legal loopholes and grey areas. Through the lens of the notorious Bhima Koregaon case, we investigate these tactics in-depth, and report how citizens are fighting to preserve the world’s largest democracy.
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