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Release
Dr. Binayak Sen immediately, |
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We the members of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee and the Staff of Jananeethi and Jananeethi Institute, Kerala are distressed at the saddening news of the unlawful arrest and detention of Dr. Binayak Sen, the General Secretary of Chhattisgarh PUCL and Vice President of the National PUCL, by police in Chhattisgarh on fake and forged allegations with an ulterior motive of defeating the people’s democratic resistance in Chhattisgarh, defending their fundamental and civil rights. We
understand that Dr. Sen, a respected member of the medical fraternity,
renowned paediatrician and senior civil rights activist has been charged
for 'aiding and abetting Naxal activity in the State' under the draconian
and undemocratic Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act 2006 and the
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 2004. For
several years Dr. Sen has been involved in training people in villages to
look after the health of their own communities, running free clinics in
areas where the state's medical facilities are not available. For his work
he was awarded the Paul Harrison Award in 2004 by the Christian Medical
College in Vellore. We
have reason to believe that Dr. Binayak Sen, as a member of PUCL is being
targeted for continually raising civil rights issues in Chhattisgarh
including the recent killing of 12 adivasis in Bijapur district on 31st
March. We strongly condemn this politically motivated arrest and are
deeply concerned about the health and safety of Dr. Sen while in custody. We
call upon the Union Government of India and the State Government of
Chhattisgarh to act urgently
and ensure that Dr. Binayak Sen is released unconditionally and that all
charges against him are withdrawn. We also call upon governments and all
concerned with the rule of law in the country to withdraw draconian
legislations like CSPSA, 2006 and UAPA, 2004, which are being
indiscriminately used in the state to stifle democratic dissent and
suppress varied political perspectives. Jananeethi
Family, Thrissur, Kerala. Friday,
18th May, 2007
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