Rural Doctor and Activist Arrested

Senior human rights activist and renowned paediatrician Binayak Sen, has been arrested on May 14, 2007 by Chattisgarh police. Dr. Sen is a renowned doctor working in rural Chattisgarh and has been associated with Jan Swasthya Sahyog, a long-time AID partner, as well as People's Health Movement and National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM). He is a respected human rights activist and General Secretary of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Chattisgarh. A detailed bio from his alma mater Christian Medical College, Vellore, is available here.

According to noted activist, Medha Patkar

We have reason to believe that Dr. Binayak Sen, as a member of PUCL is being targeted for continually raising civil rights issues in Chhattisgarh including the recent killing of 12 adivasis in Bijapur district on 31st March. We strongly condemn this politically motivated arrest and are deeply concerned about the health and safety of Dr. Sen while in custody.

A petition has been launched to urge the government to release Dr Sen at the earliest.

Dr. Sen and other human rights activists have been among the few in Chhattisgarh consistently documenting and raising voice against human rights violations and injustice in the state. The arrest is seen as part of a harrassment campaign to stifle these voices. Many rights activists across the country have condemned the arrest, including Medha Patkar and others from NAPM.

The situation in Chhattisgarh's tribal areas, especially Bastar district has a history of being unstable.