[Marxistindia] Release all Political Prisoners

[news from the cpi(m)]

July 13, 2020
Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued  
the following statement:


Release All Political Prisoners


The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses grave concern over the  
deteriorating health condition of several jailed political and human  
rights activists. Some of them have been reported to have contracted  
Covid-19 in jail. The deplorable conditions in the overcrowded jails,  
which lack even basic facilities has contributed immensely to their  
deteriorating health condition. Many of them have co-morbidities and  
have been on medications since long.

It has been reported that Akhil Gogoi has tested positive for  
Covid-19. Varavara Rao’s health condition is also been reported to be  
alarming. Given the cramped and unhygienic conditions in the jails,  
there is every possibility that prominent human rights activists like  
Gautam Navlakha, Anil Teltumbde Sudha Bharadwaj, Shoma Sen etc.,  
jailed on trumped up charges are at risk of catching the infection.  
Among the other political prisoners, the condition of Prof. Saibaba is  
even worse. A person with 90 per cent disability, he has 19 medical  
conditions, many of which are life threatening. Even UN Special  
rapporteurs on human rights had last year demanded his release given  
his health condition.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) therefore demands that all political  
prisoners be released on bail immediately and provided adequate  
medical care.





	For CPI(M) Central Committee Office