Free Binayak Sen Film Festival at Jantar Mantar

Press Note
9 May 2008

To mark the first anniversary of the arrest of Dr Binayak Sen, on 14 May 2008 and to call for his immediate release a series of Free Binayak Sen Film Festivals are being organised by concerned citizens and groups around the country. Dr Sen was arrested on false charges of ‘assisting’ the Maoist insurgency in Chattisgarh.

The first such Free Binayak Sen Film Festival will be held at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on 10 May from 7-12 PM. Other similar festivals are being held in the month of May in Bangalore, Chennai, Shimoga, Nagercoil, Gorakhpur and Imphal.

The package of 10 videos, presented in this Festival, highlight the issues of human rights and public health and deal with themes ranging from nutrition, greed of drug companies, environmental pollution and state violation of human rights.

For further information contact:

  • Wilfred D’Costa/INSAF willyindia at gmail.com Ph: 011-26517814
  • Satya Sivaraman satyasagar at gmail.com Ph: 9818514952
  • K.P.Sasi, Bangalore kpsasi36 at gmail.com Ph: 09945282056
  • Sarat Chandran, Eranakulam sarat at thirdeyefilms.com Ph: 09446426433
  • V.Srinivasan, Chennai srini59 at gmail.com Ph: 09840081114

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May 8, 2008 | Filed Under Film Festival, Global day of protest, Press Release | Leave a Comment 

FREE BINAYAK SEN MEDICAL CAMP AT KOVALAM, TAMIL NADU

MAY 4th

The Committee for the Release of Dr. Binayak Sen, Chennai in partnership with the The Chennai Metropolitan Construction workers and Unorganized workers union, Kovalam held a medical camp at Kottai Colony in Kovalam village about 45 Kms from Chennai. It was decided that this series of camps would be planned monthly for at least a year.

The medicines were purchased at concessional rates with support from the Tamil Nadu Medical Representatives Association. Three doctors Dr. Aravindan, Dr. Gurumurthy and Dr. Rakhal Gaitonde saw patients and manned the pharmacy. All medicines and consultations were done free.


The camp was preceded by a short inaugural session where the traditional leaders of the village were present, after a welcome by Comrade Srinivasan, Dr. Rakhal spoke about Dr. Binayak Sen, his arrest and the inspiration behind holding this camp in solidarity with him. Dr. Rakhal stressed that this was not merely a camp to dole out medicines but was infact an opportunity for the people to share their problems, violations of rights that are going on on a day to day basis, come to know of your rights and entitlements and plan action for getting the same. The example of the National Rural Health Mission gaurantees at the village level was given. Dr. Rakhal mentioned the various entitlements as per the NRHM – the community was surprised as no one was aware of any of these. There was then reporting of the irregularities in the maternal benefit scheme of the Tamil Nadu government. The people also raised issues regarding the redefining of the poverty line in various government orders in an attempt to fix eligibility criteria. There was even a proposal to hold a large public enquiry on the issue.

After the inaugural session nearly 55 patients consulted the doctors. While most were common ailments the doctors were struck by the number of alcohol related problems that they came across. The doctors had time to speak to the patients as well as the members of the union who have promised to follow up the various patients who need follow up.

The community appreciated the effort and said that they would all mobilise a much larger number of people the next month.

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May 8, 2008 | Filed Under Press Reports | Leave a Comment 

PUCL CONDEMNS ARREST OF AJAY TG, MEDIA PERSON & HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST IN CHHATTISGARH

Press Release:
Raipur, 7th May 2008:

The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) strongly condemns the arrest of Ajay TG, widely recognized film maker, journalist and human rights activist by the Chhattisgarh police in Raipur on 4 May 2008 and calls for his immediate release.

The fact that Mr. Ajay T G has been detained under the Anti-democratic draconian law i.e. The Chhattisgarh State Public Security Act – 2005, it is obvious that the State Police is following its repressive policy to brand human rights activists/organizations as “terrorists” involved in “unlawful activities”. As per their admission to the press, the State Police has no evidence against Ajay TG except what it claims to be a letter purportedly written by him to a Maoist leader.

PUCL has strong grounds to believe that Ajay is being victimized for his human rights work as an active member of our organization and against which the Chhattisgarh government is carrying out a systematic campaign of vilification and victimization. There is a deliberate attempt by the State Government to spread falsehoods against human rights organizations, and “branding” PUCL.

PUCL believes that the framing in false case of Ajay T G, a member of the State Executive Committee of Chhattisgarh Unit of PUCL, is also linked with the failure of the prosecution to establish any fact during the Trial in Dr. Binayak Sen’s case, held from 30th April to May 3, 2008.

It may be re-called that Dr. Binayak Sen, General Secretary, Chhattisgarh PUCL & Vice-President of National PUCL has been illegally detained since May 14, 2007 for his alleged support to the Communist Party of India (Maoists). However, those witnessing the Trial proceedings in the Court of Sri B S Saluja, Additional District & Sessions Judge, Raipur, are of the unanimous opinion that none of the six witnesses produced by the prosecution could establish an iota of evidence in the case. On the contrary, one witness was declared ‘hostile’ by the prosecution, and three of them openly declared that they had made no statement to the police to this effect. They also did not identify any of the three accused present in the Court, including Dr. Binayak Sen.

Ajay T G is the second member of the PUCL-Chhattisgarh to be arrested so far, the first being Dr Binayak Sen, well known humanitarian doctor, having recently won the prestigious Dr. Jonathan Mann Award for 2007 for Global Health & Human Rights.

It may be recalled that prior to his arrest Ajay TG was un-necessarily and deliberately dragged into a controversy by the police at Raipur on 30 April, the first day of Dr Sen’s trial when they discovered a Swiss pen-knife like, tool kit, in his bag. He was unaware that he was carrying it and innocently had brought it into the court room. The police then presented him as a “fraud media person”, although Mr. Ajay T G apologized in writing to the concerned Court for this “human error”, and gave the facts of the case. The hon’ble Court accepted the apology, and no action was taken against him.

Several news papers that evening and next morning carried sensational reports of him and the Swiss knife, ridiculously stating that the PUCL State Executive Member had come with a “modern, deadly and dangerous weapon”. It is clear that Ajay’s detention is a measure of desperation on the part of the Chhattisgarh authorities, who are running out of excuses to harass and suppress human rights activists. .

As a film maker Ajay TG has worked on numerous projects as director, cameraman, and editor and is also an accomplished graphic artist. Some of his films that have been screened at festivals abroad include ‘Living Memory’, screened at A Season of South Asian Documentaries and Films, Cambridge, UK; ‘Safar’ screened at Sheffield International Film Festival, Sheffield, UK and ‘The Last Shelter’ screened at Royal Anthropological institute Film Festival, London, UK. Since 1994 Ajay T G has also assisted Professor Jonathan Parry — a world renowned social anthropologist at London School of Economics and Political Science– in his research on industrialization in Bhilai.

Since September 2005 Ajay has been Director of Drksakshi , a voluntary organization providing a dignified educational environment for young girls from extremely impoverished families in an urban slum in Bhilai. He is currently also State Convener for Campaign Against Child Labour and Treasurer of the All India Youth Federation, Chhattisgarh.

PUCL appeals to all human rights and democratic organizations/individuals to strongly condemn this repressive act of the Chhattisgarh Government, and express solidarity and support in defending the well recognized Media person & human rights activist.

Rajendra K Sail
President
Mobile: 098268-04519
PEOPLE’S UNION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES– CHHATTISGARH
Post Box No. 87, Main Post Office,
Raipur – 492001: Chhattisgarh: India
E-mail: pucl.cg@gmail.com

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May 7, 2008 | Filed Under Press Release | 1 Comment 

India: Fair Trial Doubtful for Honored Rights Advocate : Human Rights Watch

Chhattisgarh Government Should Not Use Naxalite Issue to Silence Critics

(New York, April 29, 2008) – Criminal charges against award-winning human rights defender Dr. Binayak Sen raise serous concerns that he will not get a fair trial in Raipur district court in Chhattisgarh state when hearings begin on April 30, Human Rights Watch said today.

Chhattisgarh state officials charged Sen in February 2008 with being a member of a “terrorist organization.” Sen has been in custody since May 14, 2007. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life imprisonment.

For over two decades, Sen has provided medical care in remote tribal villages in Chhattisgarh. He has received numerous awards in recognition of his work. On April 22, the Global Health Council announced that he won the 2008 Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights.

“Dr. Sen appears to be a victim of the Chhattisgarh government’s attempt to silence those who criticize its policies and failure to protect human rights in its fight against Naxalites,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The court should ensure that this trial is not used by the state government to cover up its failures by punishing the messenger.”

Human Rights Watch said that likely political motivations for the charges and other fair trial concerns in Chhattisgarh merit the trial’s change of venue to another Indian state. The case against Sen was brought after he called on the Chhattisgarh government to respect human rights in its campaign against Maoist armed combatants called Naxalites.

The presiding judge has allowed only one of Sen’s supporters to attend the hearings at a time, despite a provision in international law that trials be public. A judge may cite public order reasons to restrict the attendance of the press and public. However, the district court’s limit of one supporter of the defendant at the trial is unnecessarily restrictive and raises broader concerns about the fairness of the trial.

“The actions of the local authorities and the presiding judge call into serious question whether Dr. Sen will receive a fair trial,” said Adams. “To ensure fairness, the venue should be moved to another state with no political axe to grind.”

In 2005, the Salwa Judum movement was started with state support in Chhattisgarh to oppose the Naxalites. With state backing, the Salwa Judum began committing serious human rights abuses, including killings, beatings of critics, burning of villages, and forced relocation of villagers into government camps. As a prominent leader of the human rights group People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Sen called for an end to Salwa Judum abuses. He also opposed the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act, criticized human rights violations such as torture, extrajudicial killings and campaigned for improvements in prison conditions.

Sen was first detained under the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act, 2006. Human Rights Watch has criticized this law because it could lead to serious abuses. The law allows detention for “unlawful activities,” a term so loosely defined that it can severely restrict the peaceful activities of individuals and civil society organizations in violation of the Indian constitution and international human rights law.

The state’s primary evidence produced in court thus far includes letters Sen allegedly smuggled out of prison, which were written by an alleged Maoist leader, Narayan Sanyal. The police say that Sen visited Sanyal in prison a number of times, and that documents and other materials, including his computer, confiscated after his arrest, allegedly contain unspecified subversive materials. Sen has denied all these charges and said that his meetings with Sanyal were facilitated by jail authorities to provide medical care.

“The laws in Chhattisgarh make it easy for the government to prosecute human rights defenders like Dr. Sen,” said Adams. “The court must fairly decide whether a real crime has been committed.”

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April 29, 2008 | Filed Under Press Release | Leave a Comment 

Deprived of own freedom Dr Binayak Sen wins global rights award

COMMITTEE FOR THE RELEASE OF DR BINAYAK SEN
PRESS RELEASE
23 APRIL 2008

Jailed pediatrician, humanitarian worker and civil rights activist Dr Binayak Sen has become the first South Asian ever to win the prestigious 2008 Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights.

The Global Health Council is the world’s largest membership alliance of public health organizations and professionals working to improve health and save lives among the poor. The Council serves and represents public health organizations and professionals working in more than 140 countries on six continents.

Keeping in view Dr Sen’s current status as a prisoner of conscience, the Global Health Council, along with other international health organisations has requested Indian authorities to find the means to allow Dr Sen to receive his award in person in Washington, DC on May 29th, 2008, at the 35th Annual International Conference on Global Health.

In a letter to the President of India, the Prime Minister of India, and the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Dr. Nils Dulaire, President of the Global Health Council, has written:

” We wish to be clear: it is not our intent to interfere with the judicial process. We simply request that this doctor’s good works and highly regarded reputation as a man of science and service, and his international following, serve as guarantee of his obligation to return to India to participate in a just and fair judicial process after the awards ceremony, if his case is not resolved sooner.

The world is watching this case. Some have expressed concern that it might represent a dwindling respect for civil liberties in India. We believe, however, that allowing Dr. Sen to attend the award’s ceremony would send a strong signal internationally that would help to restore faith that India and its states are indeed committed to fairly addressing this and other cases related to civil conflicts and civil liberties. Dr. Binayak Sen’s travel to the United States for this purpose would pose no threat to the security of Chhattisgarh or the integrity of the Indian judicial system.

Please consider finding the means to allow him to receive his award in person.”

Dr Sen was detained under anti-terrorist legislation on May 14, 2007, by the Chattisgarh government and accused of passing notes from a Maoist rebel leader he was treating in jail to someone outside the prison. Dr Sen denies committing any crime and says his activities in jail were supervised by prison authorities.

According to a press statement by the GHC the 58-year-old pediatrician was selected by an international jury of public health professionals for the prestigious Jonathan Mann award because of his years of service to poor and tribal communities in India, his effective leadership in establishing self-sustaining health care services where none existed, and his unwavering commitment to civil liberties and human rights.

Of note, nine of the 2008 nominees are Indian: Dr. Swami Hardas of Pune, Mr. Surya Makaria of Hyderabad, Mr. Deelip Mhaske of Mumbai, Dr. Ugrasen Pandey of Firozabad, Dr. Prameelamma Pedamali of Srikalahasti, Dr. Kamalesh Sarkar of Kolkata, Dr. Mukesh Shukla of Surendranagar, Dr. Diwakar Tejaswi of Patna, and Dr. Binayak Sen of Raipur.

In addition to working with the People’s Union for Civil Liberties Dr Sen and his wife, Dr. Ilina Sen, are the founders of Rupantar, a community-based nongovernmental organization that has trained, deployed and monitored the work of community health workers spread throughout 20 villages. Rupantar’s activities include initiatives to counter alcohol abuse and violence against women, and to promote food security.

“Dr. Sen’s accomplishments speak volumes about what can be achieved in very poor areas when health practitioners are also committed community leaders”, said Dr. Nils Daulaire, president of the Global Health Council.

Many national and global organizations and prominent persons have protested Dr Sen’s arrest and his long imprisonment without trial. He was recently released from a period of solitary confinement and has suffered health problems resulting from his nearly year-long imprisonment. Dr Sen’s supporters around the world have asked the Chattisgarh government to withdraw all charges against him and release him immediately.

As the 2008 Mann Award winner, Dr. Binayak is the tenth individual and the first South Asian to be thus honored by the Global Health Council. Previous winners include the following. Dr. Bogaletch Gabre, a champion of women’s rights who is a pioneer in eradicating the practice of female genital excision in Ethiopia (2007); Dr. Juan Canales, who helped marginalized peasants and indigenous communities in conflict-ridden areas of El Salvador and Mexico gain their human right to health care by establishing community medicine and public health programmes (2006); Prof. Abdel Mohammad Gerais who advocated for and established reproductive health services to those most in need in Egypt (2005); Dr. Sima Sahar who led innovative programs in health, education, construction, relief, and income generation to improve the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan (2004); Mr. Zackie Achmat and Dr. Frenk Guni, who have worked to raise awareness and advocate for equity of people with HIV/AIDS in South Africa and Zimbabwe (2003); Dr. Ruchama Marton and Mr. Salah Haj Yehya, associated with Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, providing volunteer health care in the occupied territories of the Wset Bank (2002); Dr. Gao Yaojie, a gynaecologist involved in HIV/AIDS care and prevention work in China (2002); Dr. Flora Brovina and Dr. Vjosa Dobruna who worked with refugees in the Kosovo conflict and now with women and children victims of war crimes, in Kosovo (2000); and Dr. Cynthia Maung who committed her life to healing victims of human rights abuses in Burma (1999).

For further information contact:

Anil Chaudhary, INSAF 9811119347
Kavita Srivastava, PUCL 09351562965
Apoorvanand 26495976
Satya Sivaraman 9818514952
Sreerekha, Saheli 9868120339

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April 23, 2008 | Filed Under Press Release | Leave a Comment 

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