At the time of filing this update, human rights defender Teesta Setalvad remains in the custody of the Ahmedabad police, after being arrested in Mumbai yesterday. The 60-year-old journalist and activist is likely to be produced before a magistrate today.
After Setalvad’s arrest, former Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) RB Sreekumar was also arrested in Ahmedabad, while former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt is already behind bars under trumped up charges in a custodial death case.
But support has been pouring in for the fearless human rights defender who did not give up her quest for justice even when the present regime came to power. Indeed, many are openly criticizing a vindictive regime for targeting Setalvad.
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders has now demanded Setalvad’s release saying, “Teesta is a strong voice against hatred and discrimination. Defending human rights is not a crime.”
Deeply concerned by reports of #WHRD Teesta Setalvad being detained by Anti Terrorism Sqaud of Gujarat police. Teesta is a strong voice against hatred and discrimination. Defending human rights is not a crime. I call for her release and an end to persecution by #Indian state.
— Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur HRDs (@MaryLawlorhrds) June 25, 2022
International humanitarian organization Amnesty’s India unit, that has itself faced persecution on trumped up pertaining to obtaining foreign funds, has called Setalvad’s arrest “a direct reprisal against those who dare to question their human rights record,” and said, “It sends a chilling message to the civil society & further shrinks the space for dissent in the country.”
Setalvad’s detention comes a day after the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by her along with Zakia Jafri, whose husband was murdered during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The petition sought to investigate the role of PM Narendra Modi, who was then Gujarat’s Chief Minister.
— Amnesty India (@AIIndia) June 25, 2022
Targeting human rights activists for their legitimate human rights work is unacceptable. The Indian authorities must immediately release @TeestaSetalvad, and end the persecution of Indian civil society and human rights defenders.
— Amnesty India (@AIIndia) June 25, 2022
The All India Democratic Women’s Association has also issued a formal statement saying that it “strongly condemns the arrest of activist and human rights fighter, Teesta Setalvad, by the Gujarat ATS. After the unfortunate SC decision to throw out the appeal filed by Zakia Jafri whose husband, Ehsan Jafri was brutally killed in the Gujarat pogrom, the Gujarat police has lost no time in arresting Teesta Setalvad who has stood with Ms Jafri like a rock. It is this and her other acts of exemplary courage for which she is being victimised. AIDWA demands that the false case against her be immediately withdrawn and harassment stopped.”
The Rihai Manch issued a statement saying that it “strongly condemns the arrest of senior human rights activist Teesta Setalvad and former IPS officer RB Sreekumar by the Gujarat ATS.” They have demanded the immediate release of the arrested activists and that the charges against them be dropped.
In the meantime, support has been pouring in for Setalvad with several activists, journalists and other civil society members tweeting and issuing statements demanding justice for her. More people are coming out in Setalvad’s support and lauding the human rights defender for her tireless campaign to get justice for the voiceless and the disempowered.
The more you try to silence a voice.. it will get louder .. we are with you dear @TeestaSetalvad .. stay strong. .. https://t.co/36f7pQeWgV
— Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) June 25, 2022
Teesta Setalvad, an impeccable human rights defender, is badly targeted by the Indian state for speaking truth to power.
Amid the collective amnesia over 2002 Gujarat pogrom, her struggle to ensure justice, was a beacon of hope in dark times. In Solidarity with @TeestaSetalvad✊?
— V P Sanu (@VP_Sanu) June 25, 2022
This is now a witch hunt by Modi/Shah against those who were brave enough to expose their role in Gujarat https://t.co/Xmdked3hO1
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) June 25, 2022
Stop persecution & prosecution of relentless champions of civil liberties & human rights. Withdraw false charges & release. https://t.co/cV9d3VyYzP
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) June 25, 2022
Illegal Detention of Teesta u/s 468, 471, 194, 211, 218, 120B of the IPC by Gujarat ATS. This is out of hundred percent vindictiveness Within an hour of Amit Shah giving an interview to ANI, the police reaches Teesta’s house and detains her. She is being taken to Ahmedabad pic.twitter.com/hn3oev51OQ
— Kavita Srivastava (@kavisriv) June 25, 2022
Another witch hunt begins.
This thread gives all necessary details about @TeestaSetalvad detention. https://t.co/IRazPQ3RGd— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) June 25, 2022
On the 47th anniversary of Emergency: How @TeestaSetalvad, the former journalist turned activist, was picked up the day after the Supreme Court’s observations in the #ZakiaJafri petition—and hours after home minister @AmitShah’s “interview”—in a chilling reminder of 1975. pic.twitter.com/nvJHG4bEeo
— churumuri (@churumuri) June 25, 2022
Yesterday, the Supreme Court, in its judgment dismissing #ZakiaJafri petition singled out the brave @TeestaSetalvad. Today, a video shows @AmitShah naming her. Now Gujarat ATS is at her door. #RevengePolitics in this New India.
— Kalpana Sharma (@kalpana1947) June 25, 2022
Teesta is river of North Bengal, famous for her grit! Grit, that taught us to speak truth to the power.
Arresting Teesta wont change a thing! Gujrat genocide cannot be erased with blackmails. Truth shall prevail. #TeestaSetalvad
— Dipsita (@DharDipsita) June 25, 2022
#TeestaSetalvad
Within hours of Amit Shah’s interview naming her. Teesta has been taken to Santa Cruz police station. The ATS arrived at her residence reportedly without any warrant. More details emerging.— Sumedhapal (@Sumedhapal4) June 25, 2022
Murderers are ruling the country. Human rights defenders are rotting in jail.
That’s what democracy has turned into.#TeestaSetalvad
— Aishe (ঐশী) (@aishe_ghosh) June 25, 2022
In solidarity with #TeestaSetalvad who is arrested by Gujarat ATS from her Mumbai residence.
It’s nothing but political vendetta for standing with the victims of #GujaratRiots2002 pic.twitter.com/SVFh25EopG
— Navaid Hamid نوید حامد (@navaidhamid) June 25, 2022
You Can Arrest #TeestaSetalvad , NOT HER COURAGE..!!!#IStandWithTeestaSetalvad pic.twitter.com/GI3Sr6wB3t
— Mohd Abdul Sattar (@SattarFarooqui) June 25, 2022
#TeestaSetalvad
I stand with @TeestaSetalvad Sply in this case ( zakiya jafri ) . pic.twitter.com/Z7Xr9wVeb3— Khalida Parveen (@kparveen2005) June 25, 2022
Motilal Chimanlal Setalvad, India’s first and inarguably the best Attorney General’s son Atul Setalvad & his wife Sita Setalvad gave birth to a daughter – #TeestaSetalvad .
Despite being from the creamiest of creamy layer of India’s civil society – she took up activism.
— Adv. M (@RURALINDIA) June 25, 2022
Among political parties the Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) has stood firmly by Setalvad. CPI (ML) leader Kavita Krishnan was one of the first to tweet about her detention:
Alert: Gujarat ATS has come to human rights defender Teesta Setalvad’s home in Mumbai. Doesn’t seem to have a warrant and wants to take her into custody, matter unknown yet.
— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) June 25, 2022
Yesterday the Supreme Court dismissed #ZakiaJafri‘s petition challenging the exoneration of Narendra Modi in the 2002 Gujarat genocide case. Today the ATS has detained co-petitioner #TeestaSetalvad and retired IPS #RBSreekumar. 47th anniversary of the promulgation of Emergency!
— Dipankar (@Dipankar_cpiml) June 25, 2022
Now the party has issued a formal statement condemning her “politically vindictive” arrest. Referring to the Supreme Court judgment in the Zakai Jafri case, the CPI (ML) said, “Certain observations in the Supreme Court’s judgment itself have, shamefully, paved the way for this vindictive prosecution. The judgment did not stop at dismissing the petition for lack of grounds. It named and blamed Teesta Setalvad for allegedly exploiting Zakia Jafri’s pain, asking that she as well as those public servants of Gujarat contradicted the Gujarat police’s narrative be put “in the dock” for their efforts.” It added, “It does not augur well for a democracy when the Supreme Court inexplicably criminalises this pursuit of justice and calls for every person involved need to be in the dock and proceeded with in accordance with law.”
Meanwhile, the CPI (M) has planned a peaceful protest in Kolkata at 5 P.M today:
Tomorrow in Kolkata Left Front Kolkata is organising a protest demonstration against arrest of human rights defender Teesta Setalvad. Rise in protest pic.twitter.com/b7c7LsbtHX
— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) June 25, 2022
Another call for a peaceful protest on June 27 says, “The judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Zakia Jafri v State of Gujarat, dismissing the petition filed by Zakia Jafri calling for an investigation into the conspiracy to hatch the events resulting in communal violence following the Godhra train burning, deepens the sense of injustice and marks a moment of profound hurt and loss as far as all those who care about constitutional values.” It further said, “The state has now used the observations made in the judgment to falsely and vindictively prosecute those who had struggled for justice even in the face of state callousness and complicity. It is truly an Orwellian situation of the lie becoming the truth, when those who fought to establish the truth of what happened in the Gujarat genocide of 2002 are being targeted.”
The activists condemned “this naked and brazen attempt to silence and criminalize those who stand for constitutional values and who have struggled against very difficult odds to try to achieve justice for the victims of 2002,” and demanded that “this false and vindictive FIR be taken back unconditionally and Teesta Setalvad and others detained under this FIR be released immediately.” It has been endorsed by:
V. Suresh, General Secretary, PUCL
Medha Patkar, NAPM
Apoorvanand, Writer and Columnist
Rooprekha Verma, Former VC, Lucknow University
Aruna Roy, MKSS
Shabnam Hashmi, Anhad
Arvind Narrain, PUCL Karnataka
Kavita Srivastava, PUCL
Gauhar Raza, Poet and Activist
Lara Jesani, PUCL Maharashtra
Nikhil Dey, MKSS
Related:
PRESS RELEASE: Teesta Setalvad roughed up as Gujarat ATS personnel barge into her home