By Nikhat Fatima, TwoCircles.net
Seven prisoners got back their freedom on the occasion of Independence Day this year through Association for protection of Civil Rights (APCR). APCR is a civil rights group comprising advocates, social activists and para-legal social workers dedicated to using the legal system to protect and advance the civil and human rights in India.
Of the seven prisoners, six were from Lucknow District Jail and one was from Fatehpur Jail. They are: Rajkumar from Raibareli; Mohd Akram from Fatehpur; Ashok Kumar from Saraswati; Sonu from Santkabir Nagar ; Gobind from Sitapur; and Mohit and Mangal from Lucknow.
APCR provides legal aid to undertrials from economically poor backgrounds who cannot afford a lawyer, and prisoners who even after serving the sentence are not released because they are unable to afford the penal amount. People from different religious backgrounds are provided legal assistance without any discrimination by the association.
Their economic background and their criminal background is checked thoroughly and if they are genuinely poor and are not habitual criminals their cases are taken up by APCR.
Most of the prisoners released are Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims engaged in low-income jobs such as rickshaw pulling and daily wage labourers and hence unable to hire a lawyer.
In the last six months alone, 56 prisoners have been released with help from APCR in UP which has its chapters in 17 states viz., Jharkhand, Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi, Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Haryana.
The crimes range from theft to false implication in terror cases. The activists of APCR sometimes engage local lawyers and pay their fees which is anything between Rs 45, 000 to Rs 2 lakhs.
Many youth implicated in false terror cases have also been helped and were acquitted after long legal battles. The families of persons who have been killed in false encounters are also helped to register FIR and both legal and financial assistance is provided to them.
APCR also mainstreams these prisoners by rehabilitating them by providing financial assistance to start a petty business such as a small grocery store or impart some skill training as per their ability that will help them earn their livelihood. The stigma of being a criminal hampers their employment opportunities so self-employment is a method wherein they can make a living.
“The real problem is lack of awareness about the basic fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution of India to every Indian citizen. People, irrespective of their educational, social and religious background depend solely on lawyers to fight their legal cases. Through APCR we train para legal works so that we can reach out to more and more people whose rights are exploited” said Abu Bakar, advocate in Supreme Court and national coordinator of APCR.
At the time of releasing the prisoners Jail Superintendent Mr P. N. Pandy, Jailer Mr C. P. Tripathi, Jailer R.K.Mishra, Deputy Jailer Virendra Kumar Varma, Adv Najmussaquib Khan Secretary APCR (upeast) Md Sabir Khan president JIH lko, Shane ilahi Co-ordinator lko, were present.