Resist the Executive’s Attempt to Discredit & Undermine Independence of the Judiciary. As the Modi government reaches the final stretch of its second five-year term, one can see the beginnings of its new priorities. The drumbeats against the judiciary, the lone institution which is not totally within its control, have become louder. Right from the Law Minister to the Vice[Read More…]
The PUCL is concerned that the decision of the Supreme Court in `Janhit Abhiyan v Union of India’ upholding the constitutionality of reservations for `Economically Weaker Sections’ (EWS) does grave injustice to the vision of the Constitution makers who incorporated Art. 14, 15, 16 and 17 in the Constitution as a legal protection to counter historically entrenched and institutionalised[Read More…]
The PUCL strongly condemns the raids on the residences and office of senior editors of the news portal, The Wire, in New Delhi and Mumbai on 31st October and 1st November, 2022 and manhandling of the lawyer, Mr. Shadan Farasat and other staff members of the Wire. The raids followed a First Information Report (FIR) registered in New Delhi on[Read More…]
SC Staying Acquittal of Prof. Saibaba and 5 others: A dangerous precedent which dilutes procedural safeguards and Compromises the right to personal liberty PUCL expresses its serious concern over the hurried manner by which the SC permitted the Government of Maharashtra to move an urgent appeal on Saturday 16th October, 2022 against the acquittal/discharge of Prof. Saibaba and 5 others[Read More…]
We are happy in releasing to the public the first part of the study of how the Indian state has weaponised the UAPA law against anyone who dares to challenge the Indian state and assert their fundamental rights to information, association, dissent and democracy. As part of the Campaign to repeal the UAPA, we had undertaken to study the[Read More…]
The PUCL is deeply concerned about the implications for democracy and the constitutional rights of freedom of speech and association in the light of the ongoing `Operation Octopus’ which is being carried out against the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates, across the country as a joint operation of the CRPF, the home ministry, ATS, NIA, ED, RAW,[Read More…]
Peoples Union for Civil Liberties condemns the release on remission of the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case on August 15, 2022. 11 convicts charged with charges of gang rape of a pregnant woman and multiple murders walked out free. The release of the 11 convicts, even as many others accused of less serious offences remain in jail is[Read More…]
PUCL condemns the arbitrary travel bans on Rana Ayyub and Aakar Patel, prominent critics of the Government. On 6th April, 2022, Aakar Patel, well known human rights activist and journalist, was prevented by Immigration authorities in Bengaluru airport from catching a flight to the US and forced to turn back. Aakar Patel was on his way to speak at various[Read More…]
The re-arrest of Fahad Shah, Editor of The Kashmir Walla, in politically motivated cases is another sign of the deepening crackdown on media freedom in Kashmir. Fahad Shah, a prominent Kashmiri journalist, was arrested on 4 February under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and other offences including sedition for allegedly “uploading anti-national content, including photographs, videos and posts[Read More…]
People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) expresses serious concern over the malafide action of the police in implicating local villagers and human rights defenders with fabricated cases following the incident that happened on 19th February, 2022 in Dhinkia. It needs to be noted that in response to a number of PILs about the police repressions in Dhinkia and requesting the[Read More…]
PUCL strongly condemns the registration of FIR by the CBI against Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns (CPSC) and its initiative, People’s Watch on 6th January 2022 for alleged FCRA violations of the year 2012, and raids conducted by CBI officials at their office in Madurai on 8th January 2022. PUCL expresses serious concern over the increasing criminalization and denial of permissions[Read More…]
In a detailed report released today, 17th December, 2021, Arsenal Consulting, the Boston-based forensic investigation firm assisting the defense lawyers in the Bhima Koregaon (BK) case, and Amnesty Tech Security Lab, have confirmed that the iPhone of one of the key accused, Mr. Rona Wilson, was attacked multiple times by the Pegasus spyware. This has been simultaneously reported in the[Read More…]
A report by PUCL Karnataka on the Hate Crimes on Christians in Karnataka, 2021 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Criminalizing the Practice of Faith, A report by PUCL Karnataka on the Hate Crimes on Christians in Karnataka, 2021, traces the hate crimes perpetrated against Christians in Karnataka by Hindutva groups. The point this report seeks to make is that the myth of conversion[Read More…]
The PUCL welcomes the short order of the Supreme Court yesterday, 07th December, 2021, dismissing the SLP filed by the NIA which challenged the grant of statutory bail to Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj, a committed activist lawyer and member of PUCL. The PUCL sees this important order and the order of the Bombay High Court which was under challenge, as a[Read More…]
PUCL DEMANDS from the Government of India: Immediately Prosecute Military Officials for Murder! Publicly Declare: No Immunity from Prosecution u/s 6 of AFSPA, Repeal Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 (AFSPA)!!! PUCL strongly condemns the tragic and brutal killing on Saturday, 4th December, 2021 of 6 unarmed civilians (belonging to the Konyak tribe), in a military ambush in an[Read More…]
“Selective” advocacy of Rights violations?” “When daily incidents of hate crimes, lynchings, caste atrocities and state violations become common place, Every egregious violation deserves our attention” Dear Sir, You had in your speech on the 28th NHRC foundation programme on 12th October, 2021 made four assertions on human rights to which the PUCL, as one of the oldest civil liberties[Read More…]
The PUCL is monitoring with extreme concern the precarious health condition of Atiq Ur Rehman who was unjustly accused and arrested by the UP police in early October, 2020 for daring to go with journalist Siddique Kappan to Hathras (UP) to report on the rape incident of a 19-year old Dalit woman. Atiq, Kappan and 2 others were charged under[Read More…]
The PUCL strongly condemns the Tripura Police for registering a FIR dated 03rd November, 2021 under the UAPA and other draconian provision of the IPC against a team of advocates from Delhi, the “Lawyers for Democracy”, for conducting a Fact Finding Enquiry into communal violence incidents in Tripura in mid-end October, 2021. It is clear that the police have[Read More…]
Sudha Bharadwaj marks her fourth birthday in prison today, November 1st, 2021, when she completes 60 years. She has been in jail along with the other BK-16 accused as undertrials, with the state neither commencing the trial nor releasing her on bail. Sudha’s life is a testament to a passionate concern to redressing injustice and redressing injustice is nothing, if[Read More…]
PUCL strongly condemns the indiscriminate and unabated killing of civilians by militants in the Kashmir Valley. This year over 31 civilian, non-combatants have been killed which include 11 civilians killed in October alone. Out of the 11 civilians killed, seven belong to the minority communities (Hindus and Sikhs). Very clearly these killings are meant to create a fear psychosis and[Read More…]
PUCL is extremely saddened and anguished by the death of Fr. Stan Swamy today, 5th July, 2021 in the Holy Family Hospital, Bandra, where he was undertaking treatment pursuant to an interim order of the Bombay High Court in his bail petition in the Bhima Koregaon case. What is most tragic is that even as the High Court Division Bench[Read More…]
(The Press release is by way of a chronicle of the NIA Witch-hunt of Rights Defenders and documents the ongoing saga of the State’s Conspiracy to Silence Dissent) In an unprecedented manner, on 31st March & 1st April, 2021, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided the homes of at least 33 human rights and civil liberties activists, members of women’s[Read More…]
Appeals to all parties to maintain calm and bring an end to all hostilities PUCL mourns and condemns the heavy loss of lives in the encounter between Maoists and security forces in Chhattisgarh. We are deeply distressed and completely disapprove the action of the Maoists which caused the loss of life of 22 security personnel in the encounter on April 3rd[Read More…]
PUCL is extremely pleased that the Punjab and Haryana High Court, restored the civil liberties of dalit labour activist Nodeep Kaur of Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, by granting her bail on 26th February 2021. PUCL demands that co-activist, Shiv Kumar who is grievously injured and visually challenged also be released right away and till his release, he should be[Read More…]
The PUCL welcomes the order of the Delhi Sessions Court on 23.2.21, granting bail to Disha Ravi, a 21 year old resident of Bengaluru who was unjustly incarcerated for offences under Sections 124A, 153A and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860. Ms. Ravi suffered a series of egregious violations including abduction by the Delhi police from her home[Read More…]
People’s Union for Civil Liberties is shocked at the illegal detention of the editor-in-chief of news portal, NewsClick, Prabir Purkayastha and his partner, Gita Hariharan, at their home in Delhi as the 113-hour “search” by the Enforcement Directorate continued. Senior citizens aged 73 and 67 years, they were kept in confinement and not allowed access to phones and even to[Read More…]
On 30th January, 2021, we mark the 73rd anniversary of the very date when Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by someone who did not share his vision of an inclusive and plural India. The PUCL would like to mark this important date by remembering the values which Gandhiji stood for which are under threat today. We want to remember a Gandhiji[Read More…]
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties is committed to the defence and promotion of civil liberties in India, irrespective of differences regarding the political and economic institutions that maybe suitable for the country. The aim of the PUCL is clearly to uphold and promote by peaceful means the democratic way of life throughout India. To us it is an article[Read More…]
PUCL is shocked by and condemns the detention and arrest by NIA police team of 83 year old Fr. Stan Swamy from his residence in Bagaicha, Ranchi to take him to Mumbai to be remanded in the Bhima Koregaon (BK) case for allegedly being part of the larger conspiracy to cause unrest. The inhuman and insincere act of the NIA[Read More…]
Conjuring consent in a post-factual, post-truth scenario Freedom of the press is under siege: from without by the State and its thriving band of storm troopers and from within by the owners of private media who have cut loose from the rule of law and due process, rendering scores of journalists at the precipice of precarity. This seemingly relentless double[Read More…]
To: Mr. SN Srivastava, IPS Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police Headquarters, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi Subject: Urgently stop the motivated and malicious investigation and carry out bona fide investigation into the violence in North East Delhi in end February, 2020; Stop filing of charge sheet on the basis of fabricated evidence and false confessions in the conspiracy case made[Read More…]
The first of PUCL Maharashtra’s series of discussions on the impact of the lockdown on civil liberties, examined the rights of prisoners and the responsibility of the State to ensure the safety of all its citizens. The speakers for the session were Maja Daruwalla, Board Member and Senior Advisor, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and Mihir Desai, Senior Counsel and Convenor,[Read More…]
The People’s Union For Civil Liberties (PUCL) is dismayed and disappointed over a Full Bench decision of the Supreme Court holding Mr. Prashant Bhushan, Advocate, guilty of criminal contempt of court for a set of tweets which the court felt “undermines the dignity and authority of the institution of the Supreme Court of India and the Chief Justice of India[Read More…]
PUCL appeals that the Government of India urgently listen to the people of J&K, initiate dialogue and restore peace Withdraw the police state: Restore freedom and democracy in the region Part A: Overview It has been over a year since 5th August, 2019, when Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister abruptly introduced a Constitutional Amendment in the Indian[Read More…]
PUCL Welcomes the NHRC directions to the Chhattisgarh Government, Ordering one lakh rupees compensation to those wrongly booked and illegally arrested. The PUCL welcomes the decision of the NHRC against the State of Chhattisgarh on its complaint number 667/33/20/2016 filed in 2016, which directs the Government of Chhattisgarh to pay compensation of Rs. one lakh each, to 13 members of[Read More…]
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) expresses its outrage and condemnation at the recent arrest of renowned linguist, Dr Hany Babu M. T., faculty member in Delhi University, by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). It shows once again the Indian State’s desperate and diabolic endevour to continuously silence intellectuals and criminalise those questioning its actions and holding different views,[Read More…]
Vara Vara Rao is a nationally renowned Telugu poet and intellectual who has been incarcerated since August, 2018 in the Bhima Koregaon case. He is considered one of the best critics in Telugu literature and has taught Telugu literature to undergraduate and graduate students for about 40 years. He founded Srujana (creation), a forum for modern literature in Telugu in[Read More…]
25th June, 2020 marks the 45th year of the Declaration of the infamous Emergency Declaration of Indira Gandhi. It is a day remembered as the day in 1975, when the Indian Government waged a war on its own people, suspending the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution and turning India into an authoritarian country. 25th June is also the[Read More…]
The Peoples’ Union for Civil Liberties condemns the attempt at criminalizing the writings of journalist Supriya Sharma, Executive Editor of the Scroll, the most recent victim of state attack on the media. The article, “In Varanasi village adopted by Prime Minister Modi, people went hungry during the lockdown” was published on June 5th, 2020. Among the people it reported on[Read More…]
Labour Laws Necessary to Protect Fundamental Rights of Workers PUCL is deeply concerned at the swiftness with which many states in the nation are dismantling the protection afforded to workers under their various labour laws. These laws provide many of the basic guarantees to workers – ensuring that employees get paid decent wages on time, have reasonable working hours, and[Read More…]
April 25th, 2020 marks the end of the first month of India’s gigantic, country-wide lockdown to counter and check the spread of the COVID -19 – Corona virus. As the Prime Minister gets down to discuss on 27th April, 2020, with the CMs of all the states of India, about whether to continue fully or partially with the biggest ever[Read More…]
PUCL strongly deprecates and deplores the rejection by the Supreme Court on 07th April, 2020, of the Petition filed by Gautam Navalakha and Prof. Anand Teltumbde seeking additional time to surrender before the trial court in the Bhīma Koregaon, case in view of both of them being over 65 years old and being in the `high risk category’ as[Read More…]
PUCL strongly condemns the motivated, targeted and brutal attack by the CRPF and Delhi Police on students of Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi yesterday, Sunday 15th December, 2019 causing serious injuries to over 150 students including girls, and also arrest of scores of students and youngsters. By all media reports and eye witness accounts, the[Read More…]
PUCL Call to Citizens to launch Non-Cooperation Movement against CAA & NRC PUCL deplores the promulgation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 on 12th December, as a law which renders asunder the basic structure of India’s constitutional scheme founded on the stated goals of secularism, respect for diversity and peaceful coexistence of all communities, without distinction of community, caste, creed[Read More…]
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) condemns the raid on DU professor, Dr Hany Babu’s residence in Noida, Delhi, by the Pune police earlier today (10 September 2019). The unending trial of democracy and unremitting assault on the Constitution and rule of law, in the name of Bhima-Koregaon, and the McCarthy-style With-hunt and victimisation of constitutionally minded academics and[Read More…]
The PUCL condemns the abrogation of key portions of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and the bifurcation of the State of Jammu and Kashmir and taking away its statehood. While the deed by itself is deceitful, the manner in which it was done is even more so. All the constitutional provisions, procedures, safeguards and values have been disregarded. What[Read More…]
The PUCL strongly condemns the attack on Indian Army personnel in Pulwama, Kashmir, which led to the killing of about 40 CRPF personnel. The killings happened in the most brutal and dehumanised way, with a RDX filled SUV ramming into the Bus which was part of a convoy carrying the army personnel on the Jammu Srinagar highway. The resulting blast[Read More…]
The PUCL strongly condemns the recent fabricated, malicious and motivated attacks against Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj and other human rights defenders, by Republic TV and its anchor Ms. Shivani Gupta, Deputy Editor Mr. Shawan Sen and its Managing Director, Mr. Arnab Goswami, by way of a series of programmes presented on Republic TV on 4th July 2018 as “Super Exclusive Breaking[Read More…]
PUCL is deeply shocked and strongly condemns the dastardly assassination of Shujaat Bukhari, Editor-in-Chief of `Rising Kashmir’ on Thursday, 14th June, 2018 evening by armed gunmen just as he was getting into his vehicle after leaving office. 2 of his personal security officers also died as a result of the shooting. A very experienced journalist Shujaat was a strong voice[Read More…]
The People’s Union For Civil Liberties (PUCL) is seriously concerned over the implication of issues raised by the 4 senior most SC judges after the Chief Justice of India (CJI) going public about their disagreement with the CJI over functioning of the judicial institution both in its administrative as also judicial sphere of functioning. In the Press Conference today, all[Read More…]
The PUCL condemns the action of Mumbai Police for registering on 16th July, 2017 a criminal case of defamation and obscenity against the comedy group, `All India Bakchod’ (AIB) for allegedly caricaturing the PM, Narendra Modi. According to the police AIB had on Thursday, 15th July, tweeted a picture of a Modi look-alike standing in a railway station, peering into[Read More…]
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties strongly condemns the raids by the CBI on 5th June 2017 on the residence and offices of Prannoy Roy and his wife Radhika Roy, co-founders of NDTV. While it is a declared position of PUCL that under our Constitutional scheme, the rule of law is supreme and no individual or institution is above the[Read More…]
The PUCL strongly condemns the illegal, unprovoked and malicious arrest by the Telangana police of a 7-member team of lawyers, journalists and human rights activists belonging to the Telangana Democratic Forum and other organisations on 25th December, 2016 at Dummagudam village of Bhadrachalam District of Telangana who were planning to visit Chhattisgarh to enquire into complaints of human rights violations[Read More…]
The PUCL strongly condemns the decision of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to punish Hindi news channel, NDTV India, for revealing “strategically – sensitive” information while covering the Pathankot attack in January, 2016 by ordering that the Channel close down telecast for a day between 9-10th November, 2016. The decision is reminiscent of the Emergency period when the media[Read More…]
PUCL (People’s Union For Civil Liberties) condemns the actions of the Bengaluru Police in foisting a case of sedition, creating enmity and other charges against Amnesty International India and unnamed staff for holding a meeting on 13th August, 2016 in Bengaluru on human rights abuses in Kashmir in which families of victims participated. From the statement of Amnesty it is[Read More…]
The PUCL is deeply concerned at the growing caste atrocities on dalits by the upper caste communities in the state, particularly in the rural areas. Of more concern is the deliberate inaction by the government machinery in providing protection to the dalit communities and making a mockery of the Prevention of Atrocities Act (1989). The recent incident in Kamagarh is an example of this. On 3rd June, 2016, eleven dalit houses were burnt down allegedly by the upper caste (Sabarna) of the village Kamagarh of the eponymous Panchayat in the Aska Block of Ganjam District.
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Our beloved K.P.Sasi is no more. Filmmaker, cartoonist, writer, mentor, friend and above all tireless activist championing the cause of every underdog, Sasi breathed his last, mid-afternoon this Christmas day – after battling a medical condition for months. I remember the last time I met him, almost exactly a month before he passed away, at the ayurvedic healing center in[Read More…]
