Civil Liberties
Statement by Democratic Organisations and Individuals on Targeting Rights Activists, Civil Society and Students in West Bengal https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdEdK2SCP9cJvMgJLeu6ieh7SKX30svW4JrKmVDOfOW91VVA/viewform
The statement sets out in details the police atrocity on Students and activists
Nine very battered and terrified students were brought in court on 8th February '22 all tied with a rope around their waists which goes against the constitutional provisions provided under Art 19 & 21.
The judiciary functioned in a curious way, not surprising given how the State treats its dissenting citizens. Bail was denied on the first day of the court hearing, because the case diary and medical report were not made available. Next day, the bail was not granted because the injury report was not produced by the police personnel. The truth of the matter was that no such injury report existed; and finally the falsely implicated activists were released on bail after 4 days of torturous incarceration.
The undeclared war by the existing regime in West Bengal on civil society, human rights activists and students goes in tandem with what Mr Ajit Dovel has preached as ‘fourth – generation warfare’ in the passing out parade of the 73rd batch of IPS in Hyderabad in November ‘21. A fortnight ago, around 23 activists were detained at a bus stop after alighting buses and were held illegally in the New Town Electronic Complex PS for hours while they were going to submit a memorandum to the Education Minister.
The Concept of Detention [167(2) Cr.PC] - Its Scope, Range & Legality By Justice Ramkumar Nov 1, 2021
PART I https://youtu.be/dfnEwPDKtWk?t=142
PART II https://youtu.be/oZVy0Y_JLt0?t=120
PART III https://youtu.be/UlToYSlumTA?t=120
Who is afraid of APDR? in Human Rights — by Nisha Biswas https://countercurrents.org/2021/10/who-is-afraid-of-apdr/ — 28/10/2021
In 1936, Jawaharlal Nehru felt the need of a non-political and broad based civil liberties organisation for the purpose of collecting and disseminating information and educating the masses that culminated into the founding of the Indian Civil Liberties Union (ICLU). Union units were formed at Bombay, Madras, Calcutta and Punjab with Rabindranath Tagore the first Honorary President and Sarojini Naidu the President of ICLU. Booklets, articles and pamphlets written by Rammanohar Lohia, M Venkatarangaiah, S Pratap Reddy were instrumental in popularising of the concept of civil liberties. With the beginning of electoral democracy in 1952 and formation of Congress governments the first stage of civil liberties movement come to a close.
The second chapter of the civil liberties movement began after 20 years. The idea to form a rights organisation in West Bengal seeded in 1968 amid the “orgy of slaughter and brutal repression” resulting in formation of APDR in 1972 followed by the formation of Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) in 1974 and Organisation for Protection of Democratic Rights (OPDR) in 1977. Jai Prakash Narayan launched the People’s Union for Civil Liberties and Democratic Rights (PUCLDR) in 1976 which later split into People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR). Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR) and Lokshahi Haq Sangathan too were formed in Bombay in 1977 and 1979 respectively. Formation of APDR in 1972, was a significant moment marking the resurgence of civil liberties movement.
It is APDR that survived two years ban and imprisonment of many of its stalwarts during emergency by Indira Gandhi between 1975 – 77. It is also APDR that paid a heavy price in 1974 when its publication, ভারতীয় গণতন্ত্রের স্বরুপ (translated in English as The True Face of Indian Democracy) was proscribed, its members were harassed and the printing press was raided.
Undeterred by several oppressions APDR, for the last 50 years, has persistently demanded accountability from the state through demonstrations, petitions, fact-finding reports and legal battles seeking punishment and compensation in the cases of torture, custodial deaths, custodial rape and other state excesses. APDR from its very beginning has focused on state repression and the issues of political prisoners. It has all through demanded recognition of the category and rights of political prisoners along with the demand of unconditional release of political prisoners.
Personal Liberty and the Indian Courts People's Union for Civil Liberties - PUCL https://www.facebook.com/peoples.union.for.civil.liberties/videos/2257352334437053
Personal Liberty and the Indian Courts
Speakers:
• Senior Advocate Mihir Desai
• Advocate Gautam Bhatia
The one hour 45 mins discussion examines the recent three judgements relating to
•The denial of bail of Jyoti Jagtap by the Bombay High Court in the Bhima Koregaon Conspiracy case.
• The stay on the Bombay High Court judgement of acquittal/discharge of Dr. GN Saibaba and others by the Supreme Court
• The denial of bail by the Delhi High Court of Umar Khalid in the Conspiracy case of the Delhi Riots of 2020.
Advocate Mohammed Danish gave an update on the delay in the release of Siddique Kappan.
The discussion was moderated by PUCL General Secretary, V Suresh
- Arrests
- Law on right to be forgotten
- Secure Seizure of Electronic Evidence
- Storm Points To Dangerous Levels of Political Intimidation
- Compensation Plea of Manipur Activist
- Arrested for speaking at Public hearing & rearrested as a "threat to peace"
- Police Excess in Unnao
- live in relationships
- Political Prisoners during epidemic
- Letter on Bhima Koregaon Detainees
- Supreme Court & Executive
- certificates of democracy
- Wage theft and pandemic profits THE RIGHT TO A LIVING WAGE FOR GARMENT WORKERS
- Safoora Zargar
- The Police is re-writing our Constitution | Nadeem Khan | Karwan e Mohabbat
- 43D of UAPA limits
- For democratic theory, elections are necessary, but not sufficient.
- Why internet shutdowns are a violation of human rights
- Rights of the River
- Raid on Newsclick
- Noudeep Kaur arrest ..
- Resisting Dispossession
- Indivisible?
- Reparations for Wrongful Detention
- Singing Faiz's 'Hum Dekhenge' is 'Sedition': Nagpur Police Book Organisers of Vira Sathidar Memorial
- The Law Commission's Report on Sedition Misunderstands What the Courts Said
- Law Commission Says Sedition Law Should Stay, Recommends Increased Punishment
- The Seditious Republic
- Understanding Sedition
- Sedition: Hold the celebrations.
- Post Sedition Syndrome
- Sedition Law under Consideration
- Government speak on Sedition
- The Story of Sedition in India
- ‘Sedition’ Must Go!
- Historic Supreme Court decision on sedition law
- Personal Liberty and the Indian Courts