India’s Covid anguish fuels calls to release rights activists from jail

By Dilip -

As the deadly Covid-19 second wave has engulfed India, and ripped like wildfire through its overcrowded, under-resourced prisons, there have been growing calls for those deemed political prisoners – the activists arrested as part of Modi’s vicious crackdown on dissent – to be granted the bail they have been repeatedly denied.

The impact of the pandemic on prisoners kept in jail on grounds many believe to be politically motivated has already been severe. Siddique Kappan, a Muslim journalist charged under the UAPA after he was arrested last October while travelling to report on a rape in Uttar Pradesh, was infected with Covid-19 in jail in April. Kappan, who has diabetes, was eventually taken to hospital after collapsing, where he was handcuffed to a hospital bed for four days and not allowed to go to the toilet, forced instead to urinate into a bottle. He was later discharged back to prison, still Covid-19 positive and suffering symptoms….

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/13/india-covid-anguish-fuels-calls-to-release-human-rights-activists-from-jails

Pinjra Tod activist Natasha Narwal's father dies of Covid day before her bail hearing // That Monday will not come, Judge Sahib

Geeta Pandey - Varanasi: Anger rises as coronavirus rages in Modi's constituency

VINEETHA MOKKIL - An Open Letter to Modi Bhakts in America: Your God has Feet of Clay and Blood on His Hands

पुजारी का कर्म

The Hindu priest struggling to cremate India’s Covid dead – video

Nandini Sen Mehra: And night has come upon my land

Suhas Palshikar: A monumental failure of governance // ‘There should be no clampdown on information, people can voice grievances on social media’: Supreme Court


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