The nationwide crackdown on activists, advocates and human rights defenders is disturbing and threatens core human rights values, Amnesty International India and Oxfam India today said jointly in response to the massive crackdown on rights activists in the country by the Maharashtra state police.
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We, the undersigned, strongly oppose and condemn the illegal raids carried out in different cities, and arrests of Gautam Navlakha, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Varavara Rao by the Maharashtra Police on 28 th August 2018. These are only the most recent arrests in a continuing wave of repression spearheaded by the police at the behest of their political leaders and their communal and casteist agendas against people’s movements and human rights defenders. The targeting of these democratic rights activists and organizations is anattack on the poor and marginalized sections of our society on whose behalf these activists have been raising their voices.
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The Leaflet / Statment by civil society organisations/ groups/ collectives
“We, the undersigned civil society organisations/ groups/ collectives, have jointly convened this urgent Press Conference to condemn the appalling state actions of reprisals against noted human rights activists and intellectuals, which are clearly politically motivated and an attempt to stifle voices of dissent. The unjustified raids on and arbitrary arrests of the above public spirited individuals who have tirelessly worked for the cause of the poor and marginalized sections of society, are nothing but an attack on Indian democracy and an attempt to undermine the democratic fabric of our society.”
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Press Release
Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression (WSS) strongly condemns targeted attack on democratic rights activists, blatantly retributive actions of Maharashtra Police and demands immediate and unconditional release of all arrested activists, lawyers, writers and journalists.
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Cgbasket / By Campaign Against State Repression on Rights Activists
The protest programme at Parliament Street in Delhi by Campaign Against State Repression on Rights Activists saw the participation of over four thousand people from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and all other parts of the country.
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Unite against State Repression on Peoples Movements! Repeal UAPA, NSA, AFSPA and other anti-people laws!
The solidarity extended by every section of society with those arrested in connection with Bhima-Koregaon, Advocate Surendra Gadling, Professor Shoma Sen and activists Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson and Mahesh Raut, reveals the simmering rage amidst those of us who uphold the spirit of democracy. It is clear that state terror on social activists has now reached a stage where professionals and activists demanding democratic and constitutional rights for others are now being targeted.
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We the undersigned wish to place on record our utter disgust, contempt and outrage at the latest in the series of machinations by Republic TV, working to its brief as a propagandist for the ongoing crusade against all those who take public stands in defence of democracy, secularism, human rights, Constitutional propriety and rule of law.
I have been informed that Republic TV aired a programme on 4 July 2018, presented by anchor and MD Arnab Goswami as “Super Exclusive Breaking News”.
A teacher, a reader and learner, an intellectual, an activist and a human rights defender. Shoma Sen is all of the above, and more. The state would like the world to believe that she is involved in ‘anti-national’ activities, but that’s the price that many citizens are paying today for asserting their right to speak out, to dissent, and understand and articulate the world around them.
Dayliyo.in / By Sohini Shoaib
I have known Mahesh Raut since my days at the university and for me, he has always been a source of great strength, learning and encouragement. His calm and gentle presence was grounding to many and resulted in him being hugely popular in college. Most of my memories of Mahesh involve him being surrounded by people – of him strategising over how to postpone an assignment submission, planning a college festival or counselling younger batches of students who were struggling with homesickness, workload or something else.
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