Camapign for Dr. Binayak Sen's release

The following is a report from Kavita Srivastava, General Secretary, PUCL, Rajasthan, on the meeting held in New Delhi on December 6 to consider the situation arising from the High Court’s rejection of Dr. Bianyak Sen’s bail application:

We met on the 6th of December, 2008 at the Tikona Park in Jamia Nagar. We were about 22 of us and three had sent messages about their inability to attend the meeting.

1. It was shared that the High Court had dismissed the bail application of Dr. Binayak Sen, at the stage of admittance on the ground that since 2007 there had been no change in the circumstances of Dr. Binayak Sen's case.

2. It was also shared that a Supplementary charge-sheet had been filed by the Chhattisgarh police in Dr. Sen's case. Forty-five more witnesses had been listed. The evidence presented was absolutely flimsy once again. This charge-sheet has come as the Prosecution has realised that no evidence against Dr. Sen had emerged through the 39 witnesses who have deposed till now.

In this context it was decided that the campaign for Dr. Sen’s release \should be intensive and ongoing, exposing the design of the Chhattisgarh State which is hell bent on holding Dr. Sen. We should continue this campaign till he is released.

The campaign in Delhi from December 10 to 16 in Delhi has shaped in this form.

1. A rally publicising the illegal detention of Dr. Sen will take place in Delhi University on the 10th or 11th. Harish Dhawan and Budhaditya of St. Stephen’s would be the organisers. This would be a small event due to examinations. Please get in touch with Harish or Budhaditya for timings and plans. Telephone numbers are given below.

2. After the 17th a larger cultural programme will be planned in DU on the same issue.

3. The JNU cultural programme will take place on the 11th outside one of the Hostels. Sunayana will coordinate.
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4. IT was also decided that on the 12th evening an urgent meeting of Delhi based activists must be called at a more central place. Dr. Ilina Sen will also be present in this meeting and the latest information will be shared.

5. It was confirmed that on the 16th a demonstration in "Defence of Right to Democratic Dissent and in Solidarity with Dr. Binayak Sen" will begin in the form of a rally between 1 and 2 pm from the Constitution Club and move on to the Jantar Mantar / Parliament Street Police Station, where there will \be a public meeting, including a cultural programme till 5 pm.

6. Harish along with SAMA took the responsibility to contact the Delhi medical colleges to take the message about the continued incarceration of Dr. Sen.

7. It was felt that there was hardly any Publicity material with regard to the issue of Silencing Democratic Dissent and the incarceration of Dr. Sen and others. A workshop dedicated to creation and printing of diverse kinds of materials should be organised by different groups in cities and ensure that this material is used.

Kavita Srivastava