By TCN News,
New Delhi: Taking suo motu cognizance of a media report that Kerala government was targeting human rights defenders and rights activists by labeling them as ‘Maoists sympathizers’, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Kerala, and called for a report within two weeks.
Human rights defenders and advocates Tushar Nirmal Sarathy and Jaison C Cooper had been arrested under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in Kerala and were in jail since January 30. While Jaison was arrested from Cochin on January 29, Tushar was arrested after a press conference in Kozhikode the same day.
Jaison C Cooper
The Commission has observed that the contents of the press reports, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of human rights defenders. Hence, it issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Kerala calling for a report within two weeks.
Reportedly, both Tushar and Jaison were actively engaged in peasants’ struggles against land acquisition, illegal rock quarrying, forcible evictions and the violation of labour rights of migrant workers in Kerala as well as struggles against various polluting industries.
Related:
Are social activists being targeted in Kerala?