Signature campaign to end political vendetta and release Soni Sori, Linga Kodopi and all other Adivasi under trials languishing in Chhattisgarh Jails

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Declaring the continued incarceration of Soni Sori and Linga Kodopi to be vindictive, the campaign for their release has launched a signature campaign for dropping all false charges against the two and to release them unconditionally. This campaign is being launched today by Amnesty International India, Delhi Solidarity Group, Human Rights Law Network, Khalra Centre for Human Rights Defenders, Saheli, Samajwadi Jan Parishad and Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression throughout the country as well as among the international supporters of Soni Sori.

Addressed to the Chief Minister, the signatories will demand immediate investigation into Soni Sori’s torture in police custody.

Recognizing that Soni and Linga are not the only sufferers of state repression the signature campaign will also seek the release of other Adivasi undertrials languishing in Chhattisgarh prisons and facing continual ill treatment. Dr. Raman Singh is being asked to respect his government’s obligations under the Constitution of India and international law, and end this abuse of the rights of your citizens.

The signatories assert that listening to the concerns of Adivasis will do much more to bring peace to Chhattisgarh than silencing their voices.

This signature campaign will be in addition to bail application being put up before the Supreme Court to override the rejection of Soni Sori’s bail by the Chhattisgarh High Court in the Essar case where two of the accused have already been granted bail a year back.
To

Mr Raman Singh

Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh

Subject: IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF SONI SORI AND LINGARAM KODOPI

We are writing to ask you to drop all charges against Soni Sori and Lingaram Kodopi and release them immediately and unconditionally.

Soni Sori and Lingaram Kodopi are Adivasi activists who have been in detention in Chhattisgarh since 2011. They are accused of working with armed Maoists.

These charges are false and politically motivated, and are intended to silence their non-violent activism.

We consider Soni Sori and Lingaram Kodopi to be prisoners of conscience who have been arrested solely for questioning human rights violations committed by your government.

Soni Sori has been acquitted in five cases against her and granted bail in one case. Lingaram Kodopi has been acquitted in one of two cases against him.

We are also concerned that there has been no investigation into Soni Sori’s allegations that she was beaten, sexually assaulted and given electric shocks while she was in police custody on 8 and 9 October 2011.

A government hospital that examined Soni Sori under Supreme Court orders had reported that two stones had been inserted in her vagina and one in her rectum, and that she had annular tears in her spine.

The government of Chhattisgarh must investigate these allegations without further delay and bring those responsible to justice.

We are concerned that many other Adivasis in Chhattisgarh today are in situations similar to that of Soni Sori and Lingaram Kodopi. We urge your government to respect its obligations under the Constitution of India and international law, and end this abuse of the rights of your citizens. Listening to the concerns of Adivasis will do much more to bring peace to Chhattisgarh than silencing their voices.

Yours Sincerely,

Amnesty International India

Delhi Solidarity Group

Human Rights Law Network

Khalra Centre for Human Rights Defenders

Saheli

Sawajwadi Jan Parishad

Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression

 

PLEASE GIVE A MISS CALL TO THIS NUMBER TO ADD YOUR SIGNATURE

 

011-66579044

 

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