Condemn illegal detention of democratic rights activists in Punjab

Press Statement from People’s Union For Democratic Rights
October 13, 2010

PUDR strongly condemns the picking up and illegal detention of Gurmeet Juj, Punjabi writer and rights activist, and three other activists Harbans Singh, Satish and Raju apparently by the Ferozepur police on the 11th of October. As per information dug out by Gurmeet Juj’s wife with great difficulty, he is being held at the CIA Staff Police Station for being interrogated by CBI and Punjab CID on his political views concerning Operation Greenhunt.

The illegal detention of the four raises serious questions: What is the crime for which they have been detained? If indeed the police have any such information about criminal activity why haven’t they been arrested and due legal processes followed? If the police has only taken them for questioning on suspicion, why again haven’t the families been informed? The absence of evidence and criminal procedures clearly indicates that they are being detained, harassed and perhaps tortured for their politics, rather than any crimes they have committed. This becomes evident when we consider that Juj is a reputed poet, singer and democratic rights activist whose opposition to Operation Greenhunt is already very much in the public domain as he is a member of the ‘Democratic Front Against Operation Green Hunt’.

Gurmeet Juj and the other three activists’ detention is part of the concerted efforts of the Punjab government to repress all peoples’ organizations and voices of dissent in the state. In March, 2010 Dr. Darshan Pal of the Peoples’ Democratic Front of India and several other members of BKU were picked up when they were part of large scale protests against the police. Mr. Surjit Singh Phool, President BKU, and Mr. Sanjiv Kumar of Krantikari Pindu Mazdoor Union (KPMU), both organizations working for farmers’ rights were arrested in November, 2009 and May, 2010 respectively. Both were subjected to torture at the Joint Interrogation Center and CIA Staff office, known torture centers the threat of which was also used to terrorise others called for questioning as found by PUDR in a fact-finding conducted jointly with AFDR, Punjab.

The illegal detention of the four activists in Punjab not only exposes the fascist nature of a state that muzzles freedom of belief and protest ; but it also once again reveals the blatant violation of rule of law by the very state that claims to uphold it. Moreover it draws attention to the various state agencies that exist and operate with a high level of secrecy and absolute impunity, in direct contradiction to the claims of transparency and democratic functioning being made by that government.

The secret, illegal custody of Gurmeet Juj, Harbans Singh, Satish and Raju raises suspicions about the state’s intentions, and makes us seriously concerned about their safety and wellbeing.

PUDR demands that:
1. Gurmeet Juj, Harbans Singh, Satish and Raju be immediately produced before a magistrate.
2. Their families be informed of immediately informed of their whereabouts.
3. All four be unconditionally released.
4. The officials guilty of illegal detention of the four be immediately prosecuted.
5. The CIA Staff be shut down pending a judicial inquiry into its activities.
6. Freedom of political belief and democratic protest be respected by the state.

Moushumi Basu and Asish Gupta
(Secretaries, PUDR)