Statement on Behalf of Arivu Perarivalan
Statement on
Behalf of Arivu Perarivalan
The Hon’ble Supreme Court in
commuting death sentences of Arivu, Santhan and Murugan yesterday has
recognized the implicit pain, suffering and dehumanizing effect arising out of
prolonged imprisonment by death row prisoners. It bears mention that Arivu,
Santhan and Murugan have already spent 22 years of their lives in single cell
confinement. In fact, they have faced 16 years of their lives under the shadow
of a noose. During these long years while facing the grim possibility of an
imminent execution, each day they have suffered terrible stress, anxiety and
gradual disintegration of their mind, body and soul.
We welcome this judgment and
thank the Supreme Court for applying the unequivocal and undisputed strand of
humanitarian jurisprudence which has been in existence since 1983 when for the
first time it outlawed executions which are preceded by years of incarceration
on death row. Since then in much of the civilized world where death penalty is
still in use, courts have disallowed the governments from carrying out
executions where convicts have suffered long years of imprisonment on death
row. This judgment of the Supreme Court has strengthened our faith in rule of
law and due process.
Now that the Supreme Court has
commuted these death sentences, we also trust that the law of remission and
early release will take its course and will be duly and justly applied to the
cases of our children. We appeal to all political parties, media and
fellow citizens with folded hands to not to politicize this issue and allow the
law to be justly and duly applied to all the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi
Assassination case. We pray to all concerned to not play politics with the
future of our children.
Those who claim to be guided by the best interests of
the convicts and have sympathy for their cause, should be the last people to
allow the bogey of politics to be raised which will eventually come to haunt
our children. It will be all we ask for is dispassionate application of law as
it stands to our case. We reiterate that
we have full faith in the instrumentalities of law and justice and justness of
procedure as applicable to the convicts in this country.
Please don’t create a political
spectacle out of our misfortune.
Signed by G. Arulselvi (Sister of
Perarivalan @ Arivu)
