India: UPDATE - Dr Binayak Sen has been released on bail.posted on: 2011/04/15

On Friday 15 April 2011 Dr Binayak Sen was granted bail by the Indian Supreme Court who found that the evidence on record proves that there is no sedition case against the human rights defender. Dr Binayak Sen is the General Secretary of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) regional office in the state of Chhattisgarh, as well as the Vice-President of the PUCL at a national level. On 24 December 2010, Dr Binayak Sen had been sentenced to life imprisonment by Raipur Additional District and Sessions Court.

Further Information

The PUCL, which was founded in 1976, is a non-governmental, non-political organisation dedicated to the defence of civil liberties and human rights. In recent decades, Dr Binayak Sen has been involved in training people living in rural villages with regard to community health and disease prevention.

In 2004, he was awarded the Paul Harrison Award by the Christian Medical College in Vellore. Dr Binayak Sen has also campaigned to raise awareness with regard to human rights violations committed by allegedly state-sponsored Salwa Judum militias.

India/Manipur: Human rights community salutes Ms. Irom Chanu Sharmila - on hunger strike for 10 yearsposted on: 2010/11/02

"Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) salutes Ms. Irom Chanu Sharmila’s untiring courage in demanding the repeal of the Armed Forced Special Powers Act of 1958 (AFSPA). Her 10-year hunger strike is an example of the struggle for genuine peace and freedom from violence in the north- eastern part of the country".

India / Manipur – UPDATE – Four jailed human rights defenders released on bail while four others remain in detention posted on: 2009/10/08

Human rights defenders Thiyam Dinesh, Liklabam Tompok, S Nando and Chungjel Koireng, civil society activists with All Manipur United Committee Organisation - AMUCO, have been released from detention on 29 September 2009 after being granted bail against a surety bond of 50,000 Indian Rupees (approx. €720) each. The activists had been arrested by police commandos on 14 September 2009 and were remanded in police custody for 15 days after appearing before the court on 15 September. The arrests took place in connection with ongoing civil protests against summary executions by the police in Manipur.

India: Threats against Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi and members of the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR)posted on: 2008/05/21

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of death threats made via mobile phone against human rights defender Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi and members of the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) between 25 April 2008 and 18 May 2008, calling for them to cease their human rights work, in particular their work with the Dalit communities in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. Dr Raghuvanshi is the convener of the PVCHR and also a member of the District Vigilance Committee on Bonded Labour in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi's human rights work focuses on hunger and death due to starvation.