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CJP, other groups, activists and citizens condemn Fr. Stan Swamy’s arrest

Shocked and worried about the arrest of the 83-year-old activist people from various backgrounds, came together to stand with Fr. Stan Swamy.

Stan swamy

The sudden arrest of Jesuit priest and human rights activist Father Stan Swamy on October 8, 2020 at Namkum, Ranchi has sparked outrage among various rights activist organisations, prominent figures and the general public.

Fr. Swamy was taken away by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for interrogation. Earlier, the agency had interrogated him from July 27 to July 30 and then again on August 6. Similarly, Swamy was also booked for sedition along with 19 other people by the Jharkhand government.

Apart from personal information, the NIA placed several extracts before him allegedly obtained from his computer implicating his connection with Maoists. Fr. Swamy denied the allegations and said the files were copied on his computer to implicate him.

Here is a compilation of people and organisations who stand in solidarity with the octogenarian activist.

Human Rights activist and renowned journalist Teesta Setalvad in a Twitter thread remembered Swamy’s contributions for the betterment of Advisais in Jharkhand.

 

 

Prominent figures like historian Ramchandra Guha, lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan raged against the injustice subjected on Swamy.

 

 

Karnataka’s Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh too voiced his dissent against the browbeating of Modi-government.

 

 

Rights activists from other countries also lent their voice to Swamy.

 

 

Translated in English, the tweet says “Fr Stan Swamy SJ has been arrested in India. 83 years old, sick. Activist for decades for the rights of indigenous communities in Jharkand. Outrage and shame. #ReleaseStanSwamy.”

Indian citizens too voiced their outrage on social media with some organizing protests the very next day of the arrest.

 

 

#StanSwamy trended on Twitter among the top 10 trends today.

“The forcible picking up of an elderly HRD is nothing but blatant harassment and intimidation of people who are critical of the State and its policies and fight for the rights of those who have been oppressed and marginalised,” said Human Rights Defender – Alert in a statement of solidarity released hours after Fr. Swamy’s arrest. HRDA fears for the health and wellbeing of the 83-year-old who suffers from advanced Parkinson’s disease. The organisation condemned the unwarranted arrest and appealed that he not be taken to Mumbai considering the current pandemic.

“The inhuman and insincere act of the NIA authorities in arresting Fr. Stan stands out for its sheer vindictiveness. Fr. Stan has always professed his commitment to the Constitution of India and peaceful means of expressing dissent while questioning abuse of power by state executive and police,” said People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) alleging that the real reason for his arrest was that he dared to expose the large scale abuse of anti-terror and sedition laws by the previous BJP-led Jharkhand government. They also pointed out that Swamy’s residence was raided on August 28, 2018 by the Pune Police then in charge of the BK case and his laptop, tablet, camera was seized. However, police had said that he was only a suspect but not an accused in the case at that time.

Eager to help secure Fr. Swamy’s release, a google form was circulated on the social media platform of WhatsApp that asked Chief Minister Hemant Soren to oppose Stan Swamy’s arrest and demanded that the central government immediately release Stan Swamy.

Swamy has been actively working at Bagaicha for the last 15 years, and has worked in collaboration with people’s movements against unjust displacement, human rights violations, illegal land acquisitions, and policies designed or amended to acquire land, deeming the indigenous people landless.

Hundreds of concerned citizens also sent a letter to Chief Minister Shibu Soren saying, “The recent arrest of Stan Swamy is a gross violation of human rights and democratic norms.” The signatories to the letter demand Fr. STan’s immediate release. The letter further says, “The main objective of the case is to target and harass activists who work for the rights of Adivasis, Dalits and the marginalised and raise questions against the anti-people policies of the government.” The entire letter with list of all signatories may be viewed here: 

Related:

Fr. Stan Swamy’s arrest malicious and spiteful: PUCL

83 Year-Old Stan Swamy taken in by NIA for questioning, quotes Khalil Jibran at the injustice

Six months of being hunted, not yet vanquished: Stan Swamy

Fr. Stan Swamy: The Jharkhand Priest who made People his Religion

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