Some of the human rights activists arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case have been sent to solitary confinement in Taloja Central Jail, Maharashtra. Solitary confinement, better known as ‘Anda Cell’, is generally presumed as punishment. How an undertrial can be given such punishment without judicial instructions? A press release by GASS (Odisha) demanding a stop to the practice of solitary confinement (‘Anda cell’) inside the jail.
How a human rights activist could be a challenge to the jail authority? On what way could solitary confinement of undertrial prisoner help him/her to avail justice? From various press releases, letters and media reports, Ganatantrik Adhikar Surakhya Sangathan, Odisha (GASS) got information that the some of the human rights activists, arrested on Elgar Parishad – Bhima Koregaon case, have been sent to solitary confinement – a jail within jail- in Taloja Central Jail, Maharashtra. Solitary confinement, better known as ‘Anda Cell’, is generally presumed as punishment. How an undertrial can be given such punishment without judicial instructions?
GASS (Odisha) condemns such attitude to torture by the government in strongest terms. Few months before, father Stan Swamy had died inside the jail due to such type of ill treatment by the jail authority and judicial authorities. Here to remember that the fifteen famous human rights activists, writers and poets of India are in jail on a false charge of UAPA – relating to Bhima Koregaon case – for over three and half years. Recently, Gautam Navalekha, human rights activist and previous resident editor of Economic and Political Weekly, has been sent to the ‘Anda Cell’. He was arrested on 14th April 2020. This arrangement of solitary confinement of undertrial prisoners is a violation of human rights of the prisoner. GASS strongly condemns such inhuman and undemocratic approach of the government.
GASS demands;
1) The practice of solitary confinement inside the jail should be stopped.
2) The Bhima Koregaon case undertrial prisioners should be released soon.
3) The Black laws like UAPA should be scrapped.
Golak Bihari Nath, President
Deba Ranjan, General Secretary
Ganatantrik Adhikar Surakhya Sangathan, Odisha
Email: gassbhubaneswara@gmail.com
First published at https://countercurrents.org/author/ganatantrik-adhikar-surakha-sangathan/