Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2007 > June 02, 2007 > Assault on Human Rights
On May 14, senior human rights activist Dr Binayak Sen was arrested by the Chhattisgarh Government on charges relating to contacts with the Naxalites. Dr Sen is Vice-President of the PUCL (People’s Union for Civil Liberties) at the national level and its General Secretary at the State level. A renowned doctor and health activist, he has made an invaluable contribution to several people’s health campaigns and has also advised the government on health-related issues.
Human rights activists and movements have made an important contribution to finding peaceful solutions to several conflicts, but as a part of this effort they have to meet persons from all sides to have a proper understanding of their viewpoints. By arresting such a senior human rights activist of long standing for having some contacts with Naxalites the government is striking at the roots of the human rights movement and its ability to play such an important democratic role.
The arrest of Dr Binayak Sen should be widely condemned as an assault on human rights.
Bharat Dogra
C-27, Raksha Kunj
Paschim Vihar
New Delhi-110063