In order to uphold their right to life and liberty, CJP and AIUFWP have moved a Habeas Corpus petition demanding that they be produced before the court immediately and released from illegal captivity. You may read our full petition here:

Many adivasis in Sonebhadra have faced institutional oppression in the form of false cases being foisted on them. In May 2018, the Muirpur police picked up around twelve villagers, ten of whom were women forest rights workers. It was alleged by the Station Officer (SO) PS Satyaprakash Singh that the people were involved in chopping trees that were a part of an afforestation project.

When the CJP team enquired about the details of the project, the police failed to provide any details. CJP team consistently called various authorities and kept track of the developments. After a day long ordeal, and not before the Adivasis were intimidated significantly, they were finally let off at Dudhi, about 30 kilometers away from their village Lilasi and had to cover the distance back home, barefoot.

However, incidents took a more serious turn when Uttar Pradesh police entered the Lilasi village just five days later and started forcefully entering the huts of Adivasis. Most women at this time were engaged in their household chores, some even feeding their new-born children. All this based on the false allegation that they had ‘cut trees and destroyed the forest’.

CJP worked together with Roma and other members of the AIUFWP to bring these grave human rights violations to light, and got the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to intervene. The plight of these people was communicated to the NHRC in two letters dated May 30 and June 14, and later in a meeting with the NHRC Chairman. The appointment between NHRC and AIUFWP was made possible by CJP Secretary Teesta Setalvad’s intervention.The NHRC subsequently directed the District Magistrate (DM) to submit a report within three weeks. The NHRC’s order may be read here: