India - CASR: International Women’s Day: All women’s political prisoners to be released

• On the occasion of International Women's Day for women fighting around the world for respect, justice, equality and freedom, the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) conveys its solidarity.

  While Women's Day is celebrated as a symbol of women empowerment and resistance around the world, many women political prisoners in India have been languing in jails for many years without frequent trial under cruel laws such as the UPA.

  CASR strongly condemns the constant detention of women activists, lawyers, and teachers under the UAPA with fictitious allegations. Many of these women were under trial, and they spent years in prison without ending their cases.

  Those who have been sentenced to unjust prison

  1. Syeda Asia Andrabi, sentenced to 8 years in prison
  2. Sophie Fehmida, sentenced to 8 years in prison
  3. Nahida Nasreen, sentenced to 8 years in prison
  4. Lawyer Bellala Padma, Under Trial 2 years 9 months
  5. Binda Sona, Under Trial 2 years
  6. Prabha, Under Trial 2 years 6 months
  7. Sunita Potham, Under Trial 1 year 9 months
  8. Sheila Marandi, Under Trial 4 years 4 months
  9. Jayeta Das, Under Trial 4 years
  10. Narla Education, Under Trial 8 Months
  11. Cosy, 3 years
  12. Savitri, Under Trial 4 years
  13. Woolmaya, Under Trial 2 years
  14. Kamala, Under Trial 2 years 8 months
  15. D. Devendra, Under Trial 3 years 8 months
      16. C.H. Shilpa, Under Trial 3 years 8 months
      17. K. Sirisha, Under Trial 2 years 9 months

  There are many people who are not on this list.

  These women represent many struggles in different areas. The government is abusing the UAPA to make them a crime to suppress their voice and to treat political confidence as a crime. Most of these women come from tribal and rural backgrounds. All of them actively participated in various activities for the liberation of women before the arrests. Instead of addressing the issues associated with the legitimate land rights, civil liberties and social justice raised by them, the state has labeled them as “terrorists” and put them in jail under strict anti-terror norms. The condition of these women prisoners is very serious. Most of them are under investigation. The basic principle of law is to be acquitted till conviction is proved. They are required to be jailed before the offence may be proved due to UAPA strict bail rules.

  Women in prison are facing serious and anxiety problems.
  Many say that physical and mental health deteriorate due to prolonged imprisonment, lack of adequate medical care and severe imprisonment. Some people have experienced serious reproductive health problems, such as abortions while in custody.

  International Women's Day is a celebration of justice, equality and commitment to women's rights. But today, the government's leaders, giving speeches on the one hand about women empowerment on the other, the constant detention of these women's political prisoners is a testament to their two-fold trend.

  The CASR believes that the detention of women activists under anti-terrorism laws is an attack on democratic rights. The growing standard of arrests under the UAPA means that the law is used to suppress political opposition, human rights movements and other public grassroots movements, rather than countering terrorism.

  On this International Women's Day, CASR makes the following demands:

  1. All female political prisoners who are incarcerated under other brutal laws, including the UAPA, should be released immediately.
  2. All women in jail should be given immediate medical treatment.
  3. The abuse of anti-terrorism law should be stopped to treat dissent and democratic activities as a crime.
  4. A speedy and fair trial should be conducted in all the cases in prison as prisoners who have been on trial for several years.

  The CASR has called for democratic institutions, women's organisations and civil rights groups to open their voices for these women who are being imprisoned unfairly.

  All political prisoners should be released immediately.
  UAPA should stop abuse.
  Protect democratic rights.

   

  Campaign against the oppression of the state (CASR)