UN rights panel calls for release of prisoners detained sans 'sufficient legal basis'

Taking note of Fr. Stan Swamy's demise in a Mumbai hospital while awaiting bail in the Bhima Koreagaon case, United Nations' Human Rights Commission on Tuesday has called for the release of prisoners who are "detained without sufficient legal basis".

Hyderabad:Condoling the death of jailed tribal rights' activist Fr. Stan Swamy, United Nations' Human Rights Commission on Tuesday has called for the release of prisoners who are "detained without sufficient legal basis".

"We are deeply saddened and disturbed by the death of 84-year-old Father Stan Swamy, a human rights defender and Jesuit priest, in Mumbai yesterday, following his arrest in October 2020 under India's Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)," said Liz Throssell, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a press communique.

The funeral of Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist, Fr. Stan Lourduswamy, who passed away while in custody on Monday was performed at a Bandra church on Tuesday. He was awaiting bail from the Bombay High Court in the Koregaon-Bhima caste riots case. Fr. Stan was arrested by the NIA in connection with the probe into the events preceding and after the January 2018 Koregaon-Bhima riots.

"Father Stan had been held in pre-trial detention without bail since his arrest, charged with terrorism-related offences in relation to demonstrations that date back to 2018. He was a long-standing activist, particularly on the rights of indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups. While in Mumbai's Taloja Central Jail, his health deteriorated and he reportedly contracted COVID-19. His repeated applications for bail were rejected. He died as the Bombay High Court was considering an appeal against the rejection of his bail application," a statement issued by the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights Commission of UN said.

The statement further added that High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet and the UN's independent experts have "repeatedly raised the cases of Father Stan and 15 other human rights defenders associated with the same events with the Government of India over the past three years and urged their release from pre-trial detention."

"In light of the continued, severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is even more urgent that States, including India, release every person detained without a sufficient legal basis, including those detained simply for expressing critical or dissenting views. This would be in line with the Indian judiciary's calls to decongest the prisons," the statement read.

The High Commissioner also urged the Union Government of India to ensure "that no one is detained for exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression, of peaceful assembly and of association."

Opposition leaders write to President Ram Nath Kovind

A copy of the letter written by Opposition leaders to President

As many as 10 Opposition leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP’s Sharad Pawar, TMC’s Mamata Banerjee and NC's Farooq Abdullah have written to President Ram Nath Kovind urging him to direct the Government to act against those responsible for foisting false cases against Father Stan Swamy. The letter was also signed by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, CPI General Secretary D Raja and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav.

Ranchi Jesuits mulling to go court demanding investigation into Swamy's death

Terming Stan Swamy's death a big conspiracy, Theodore Mascarenhas, the assistant bishop of Jharkhand's Ranchi, said that Fr. Stan never went to Bhima Koregaon and he was falsely implicated in the case. "Fr. Stan was a man who worked all his life for the rights of the tribals. The intentions of the security agencies had become clear seeing the manner in which they arrested him. What happened to Fr. Stan should not happen to even an enemy," Mascarenhas added. He further said that Jesuits have formed a team comprising of senior advocates who are brainstorming as to how to pursue Swamy's death case in the court.