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Category: Solidarity

For those dividing Indians to rule them, adivasis are clearly not farmers / Video: Protesting farmers

For those dividing Indians to rule them, adivasis are clearly not farmers / Video: Protesting farmers


Drawing by Arun Ferreira

The Wire / by Nandini Sundar

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) decided to mark December 10, International Human Rights Day, by remembering several prominent activists arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), especially those arrested in the name of Bhima Koregaon, and the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act…
Mahesh Raut, one of the youngest of those arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case, is a graduate of TISS and was a PM Rural Development Fellow in Gadchiroli.
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Video: Protesting Farmers Demand Release of Arrested Intellectuals and Activists


hindi | 11:30min | 2020

The Wire / by Ajoy Ashirwad Mahaprashasta

Why do farmers wish to broaden the scope of their protest?
Farmers protesting at the border on International Human Rights Day demanded the release of all activists who have been arrested. The Wire‘s Political Affairs Editor Ajoy Ashirwad Mahaprashasta spoke to the farmers to find out why they wished to broaden the scope of their protest.
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Jesuit priests voice active support for jailed senior Fr Stan Swamy / NGO urges ‘Star for Stan’

Jesuit priests voice active support for jailed senior Fr Stan Swamy / NGO urges ‘Star for Stan’

Jesuit priests voice active support for jailed senior Fr Stan Swamy

16/12/2020

The Times of India / by Bella Jaisinghani

Mumbai: The Society of Jesus, which runs prominent schools and colleges in the city, has expressed solidarity with their jailed senior colleague Fr Stan Swamy and decried the “abuse” of the UAPA law. The ailing 83-year-old priest remains in Taloja Jail facing UAPA charges in the Bhima Koregaon case, and had to battle for basic amenities like straw and sipper.
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NGO urges ‘Star for Stan’ with straws and sippers, or banners

16/12/2020

Times of India / by TNN

A unit of NGO, Bombay Catholic Sabha (BCS), affiliated to St Peter’s Church, Bandra, urged citizens to signal support for jailed activists, including the elderly Fr Stan Swamy through their Christmas Star.
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Elderly Indian Jesuit’s bail hearing postponed again

16/12/2020

UCA News / by Saji Thomas

Federal probe agency opposes Father Swamy’s bail after claiming it has serious evidence against him.
An elderly Indian Jesuit priest remains in jail after a special court deferred hearing his bail plea for a fourth time following opposition from the federal probe agency that arrested him two months ago on charges of sedition and links to Maoist rebels.
The bail application of 84-year-old Father Stan Swamy came up for hearing on Dec. 14 before the special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) based in Mumbai, capital of western India’s Maharashtra state.
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Also Read: NIA OPPOSES BAIL PLEA OF STAN SWAMY / STAN SWAMY LIKELY TO BE SHIFTED TO ARTHUR ROAD JAIL (Dec 15)

Farmers’ Union Explains Why it is Demanding Jailed Activists’ Release / Ugrahan rights rally hurt cause

Farmers’ Union Explains Why it is Demanding Jailed Activists’ Release / Ugrahan rights rally hurt cause

Ugrahan rights rally hurt cause, admit 32 groups, underline repeal demand

14/12/2020

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

Carefully calibrating their distancing from the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), the joint resolution said: “The function organised by BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) has no relation with the farmers’ struggle. Their action has harmed the farmers’ struggle.”
With union ministers attributing ideological opposition to the farm protests and equating some of them with “Left and Naxal elements,” as many as 32 farmer unions passed a resolution Saturday making it clear that their only issue is the repeal of farm laws and nothing else.
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Won’t Pursue Narrow Interests: Farmers’ Union Explains Why it is Demanding Jailed Activists’ Release

12/12/2020

The Wire / by The Wire Staff

‘It is important to build solidarities around people who are the target of sectarian and communal state policies.’…
A section of mainstream media had been quick to brand the demand a “hijacking” of the farmers’ movement by Leftist intellectuals. The following statement, released by the BKU (Ugrahan), offers an idea as to why the protesters decided to add another cause to their agenda.
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It’s Time We Speak up For Each Other: Farmers’ Group Supports Political Prisoners

11/12/2020

The Wire / by Ajoy Ashirwad Mahaprashasta

“We are confronting a prime minister who is behaving like an exploitative king. All these activists and intellectuals have been arrested on false charges merely because they highlighted the plight of the poor,” said the head of BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan).
A day after farmers’ unions rejected an elaborate proposal by the Union government to address multiple concerns related to the three contentious farm laws, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), the biggest group among the 32 organisations, marked Human Rights Day by demanding the release of several democratic rights activists and intellectuals who are lodged in prison.
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Bharti Kisan Union – Ekta Ugrahan

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Posters demanding release of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Elgar Parishad activists seen at farmers’ protest

10/12/2020

Free Press Journal / by FPJ Web Desk

Lawyer and coordinator of the BKU N K Jeet said the release of these activists has been part of their demands from the very first day.
As the farmers’ agitation in the national capital entered Day 15 on Thursday, the ongoing protest against the Centre’s three new farm laws also turned political with a farmer union body–Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan)–demanding the release of writers, intellectuals, rationalists mainly arrested in Elgar Parishad and Delhi Riots case.
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BKU (Ugrahan) to seek release of ‘rights activists’, Delhi riots accused

10/12/2020

The Indian Express / by Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Pictures of more than 20 accused, including Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, booked under the stringent UAPA, will be installed on a stage near the Tikri border.
Despite the farmer unions’ decision to keep their ongoing protest in Delhi against the farm laws “apolitical”, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) plans to use this platform to demand the release of several accused booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for allegedly having links with Naxals, on Human Rights Day, to be observed Thursday.
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Farmers hit back at Union minister’s ‘protest backed by Pakistan’ allegations

10/12/2020

Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff

The farmers’ protest against the agricultural legislations entered the 15th day on Thursday…
Live updates

2.18 pm: Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta Ugrahan observe human rights day at Tikri border, demanding release of writers, rationalists and intellectuals, mainly arrested in the Elgar Parishad case, including Gautam Navlakha, Anand Teltumbde, Sudha Bhardwaj, Varvara Rao and others, reports The Times of India.
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Calls for Indian Jesuit’s freedom fill Rights Day

Calls for Indian Jesuit’s freedom fill Rights Day

UCA / by Saji Thomas

A demand to release an elderly Jesuit priest and 15 other activists was prominent among calls made at programs marking international Human Rights Day in many parts of India.
Several rights groups joined with citizens to organize demonstrations, webinars and marches across the country on Dec 10, expressing their concern over what they said was a governmental attempt to throttle dissenting voices against its policies and programs.
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When saints are in prison: Custody as a form of torture

When saints are in prison: Custody as a form of torture

The Quint / by Kaleeswaram Raj

Incarceration is not mere curtailment of freedom. It is a diminution of human dignity. And today, one is forced to think that individual dignity in India is in deep crisis.
It is amazing to watch the Supreme Court building that symbolises a wonderful architectural tradition. It is more so when one looks at the flock of birds that fly over the court’s tomb, epitomising universal liberty, a theme that the Constitution tried to imbibe. It contains provisions for certain fundamental rights even for non-citizens. Article 21 promises right to life and personal liberty to ‘any person’. The court has interpreted life to always mean dignified life.
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Stand with Fr Stan Swamy / Solidarity Campaigns (pics)

Stand with Fr Stan Swamy / Solidarity Campaigns (pics)


By Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha / @JharkhandJanad1 (Dec 12):
Rajesh Kachhap, @INCJharkhand MLA says that Stan Swamy’s arrest is an attack on freedom of expression by the dictatorial central govt. He demands Stan’s release and appeals to @HemantSorenJMM govt to write to the centre.


Silent protest launches campaign calling for release of Father Stan Swamy

10/12/2020

CSW / by CWS

A protest has been held today, International Human Rights Day, outside the High Commission of India in London, organised by the UK-based Jesuit Missions, to mark the launch of an international campaign calling for the immediate and unconditional release from prison of Father Stan Swamy.
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Stand with Father Stan

10/12/2020

By Jesuit Mission UK

This Human Rights Day falls on the 10 December, and Jesuit Missions is inviting you to take action to help free Fr Stan Swamy SJ from prison.
What you can do
We want to raise awareness about what has happened to Fr Stan Swamy. This can be done in two ways.
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Postcard campaign

10/12/2020

Click to enlarge

Who will Defend the Human Rights’ Defenders? Release Political Prisoners, Repeal UAPA

09/12/2020

Right to Food and Work Campaign, West Bengal

National Level Postcard Campaign Takes Off on Human Rights Day On 10th December, 2020, International Human Rights Day, a nation-wide post card campaign asking the Prime Minister to repeal the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and to release all prisoners who have been incarcerated under this Act, is being inaugurated.

Read full statement / Click to enlarge

Organisers of Elgar Parishad say accused are denied basic human rights

Organisers of Elgar Parishad say accused are denied basic human rights

The Hindu / by Sonam Saigal

On Human Rights Day, retired judges say intellectuals have been implicated for speaking against the government.
It is close to three years that intellectuals, activists and lawyers were arrested in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. Retired judges, who organised the Elghar Parishad event, say, “All those accused in the case are not connected with it but they have been implicated because they have spoken against the government. They are denied basic human rights.”
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Human Rights Padyatra Demands Release of Sudha Bhardwaj and her Co-Accused (pics)

Human Rights Padyatra Demands Release of Sudha Bhardwaj and her Co-Accused (pics)

Click to enlarge pics

By PUCL-CG and CMM-MKS

People’s Union for Civil Liberties-Chhattisgarh & Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha-Mazdoor Karyakarta Samiti had given the call to march in solidarity with Sudha Bharadwaj and other human rights activists on International Human Rights Day.
The yatra was planned from Bhilai Power House to the Chief Minister’s residence in Raipur to deliver a memorandum, demanding the release of Sudha Bharadwaj and her co-accused. But the padyatra was stopped by the police near Khursipar in Bhilai, violating the fundamental right of the citizens to protest peacefully.
They demanded:
Release Sudha Bharadwaj!
Release all Human Rights Activists!
Stop Human Rights Violations in Chhattisgarh!

Farmers for political prisoners: International Human Rights Day to be observed at Tikri Border

Farmers for political prisoners: International Human Rights Day to be observed at Tikri Border

Farmers for political prisoners: International Human Rights Day to be observed at Tikri Border, New Delhi

07/12/2020

By Release The Poet @ fb

The farmer protesters gathered at Tikri border plan to celebrate International Human Rights Day on the protest site (Baba Banda Singh Nagar) on December 10 and raise their voice for the release of intellectuals and human rights activists.
Jhanda Singh Jethuke, Senior Vice President of Bhartiya Kissan Union/BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) told the press that International Humans Rights Day has come when lakhs of farmers are protesting on the roads and Modi government have arrested numerous human rights activists and peo-people intellectuals. The demand for the release of human rights activists has been constantly raised in the ongoing agitation.
…

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Law is No Longer About Justice But is Reimagined as a Tool of Terror and Harassment

Law is No Longer About Justice But is Reimagined as a Tool of Terror and Harassment

The Leaflet / by Shiv Visvanathan

Each citizen, as Havel once said about totalitarianism, must become iconic of protest from body language to symbolism. When indifference and prejudice becomes a monstrosity of legal indifference, civil society must reinvent democracy as a new politics of caring, says Shiv Visvanathan.
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