New Delhi: UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Mary Lawlor has spoken out against the continuing detention of former Delhi University professor G.N. Saibaba, calling it an inhuman and senseless act.
“GN Saibaba is a long-standing defender of the rights of minorities in India, including the Dalit and Adivasi people,” Lawlor said. “His continued detention is shameful. It bears all the hallmarks of a State seeking to silence a critical voice.”
Saibaba, who is wheelchair-bound with over 90% physical disability, has alleged medical negligence several times during his incarceration. One of his co-accused, Pandu Pora Narote, died in August last year after contracting swine flu in jail. His lawyer claimed that medical care was not provided in time, leading to his condition worsening. Lawlor too expressed her concern over Saibaba’s health.
In April this year, the Bombay high court had discharged Saibaba in a Maoist links case, raising hopes for his release. However, the Supreme Court stepped in soon after and set aside the high court order.
“Mr. Saibaba has been detained in a high security ‘anda barracks’ in conditions incompatible with his status as a wheelchair user. His 8×10 feet cell has no window and one wall made of iron bars, exposing him to extreme weather, especially in the scorching summer heat,” Lawlor said.
“States have an obligation to uphold the right to health of prisoners and detainees and ensure their dignity as human beings. Prison authorities must ensure that prisoners with disabilities are not discriminated against, including by ensuring accessibility and providing reasonable accommodation,” she continued. “As Mr. Saibaba’s health has severely deteriorated in detention, he should be released.”
In the past too, several human rights activists from India and abroad have argued that Saibaba must be released from prison, given his health condition and the circumstances in prison.