Against Dr Binayak Sen’s Solitary Confinement

Thanks for the support! Dr Sen has been released from solitary confinement and is a regular prisoner again. Next halt is to fight for his complete release from jail!

To:  Chief Minister, Government of Chattisgarh, India

Petition Against Dr Binayak Sen’s Solitary Confinement

We strongly condemn the imposition of solitary confinement on Dr. Binayak Sen in the Raipur Central Jail in Chattisgarh since 15 March 2008.

To keep Dr Sen in solitary confinement not only violates the Indian Penal Code but also all axioms of justice and fairplay.

Dr. Sen is a respected physician much honoured for his self-sacrificing commitment to social causes and his unflinching defense of civil rights. An alumnus of the Christian Medical College and of the Jawaharlal Nehru University , he has received the highest honour that his college confers on its alumni. In December 2007, the Indian Academy of Social Sciences conferred on him the R. R. Keithan Gold Medal, as an “indefatigable defender of human rights and Gandhian social activist of rare courage and dedication”. Currently, he has been nominated for the Jonathan Mann Award 2008, the highest international award for health professionals excelling in human rights activities.

It is unfortunate enough that such an honoured son of India has been kept in prison for the past eleven months under the Chattisgarh State Public Security Act, which is itself facing judicial challenge as violating the basic provisions of the Indian Constitution. Dr Sen’s criticism of the Salwa Judum as an unlawful private militia has very recently found favour with the Supreme Court. The Inspector General of Chhattisgarh Police himself has dismissed, in December 2007, five police officers for the kind of custodial violence that Dr Sen had decried. Confining such a person to solitary confinement is very likely to be seen as vengefulness on the part of agents of the state and an obvious attempt to break the morale of a courageous critic.

We would like to point out that such treatment is completely unwarranted as Dr Sen is an undertrial and not convicted of any crime. Even convicted persons are protected by law from any cruel and unusual punishment.

It is well established that confinement of any prisoner carries the risk of serious mental and physical harm and can amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The imprisonment of a person in total isolation is not acceptable under international human rights standards.

We would also like to express deep concern over the impact of such solitary confinement on the physical and mental health of Dr Sen, who during the course of his imprisonment has already lost much weight according to the jail records.

We urge and demand that the Chattisgarh Government desist from Dr. Sen’s solitary confinement and set him at liberty by lawful means. We urge the Union Government to use its good offices to that end.

Hindering Dr. Sen is a loss to the nation. Incapacitating him would be a crime. And with due respect, we warn all the concerned authorities that they will be held responsible, at the bar of public conscience, for any harm that may befall this treasured son of the nation.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Against Dr Binayak Sen’s Solitary Confinement Petition to Chief Minister, Government of Chattisgarh, India was created by and written by Satya Sivaraman (satyasagar@gmail.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.