New Delhi Feb 11, 2025 | Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) strongly condemns the harassment and obstruction of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Chhattisgarh members who were prevented from traveling to Bhopalpatnam on 10 February 2025 to assist villagers in submitting testimonies for a Magisterial Enquiry. This deliberate targeting of human rights defenders is an alarming violation of civil liberties and due process.
On 10 February 2025, PUCL members Virendra Bharadwaj, Rachna Dehariya, and Pawan Sahu were traveling to Bhopalpatnam to help villagers submit their representations. However, they were unlawfully stopped, interrogated, and photographed by individuals in civilian clothing. Upon reaching Bijapur, they were subjected to further intimidation, forcibly deboarded from their bus, and prevented from proceeding. The police falsely accused them of violating a so-called “code of conduct” due to Jila Panchayat elections, detained them without legal justification, and labeled PUCL as an organization that “supports Naxalites”. The police even threatened them with arrest for merely assisting villagers in participating in a lawful inquiry.
The right to support communities in accessing legal remedies is fundamental to any democratic society. Preventing citizens from participating in a Magisterial Enquiry undermines due process and raises serious concerns about transparency in state actions. The Supreme Court, in PUCL vs. State of Maharashtra (2014 SCC 10 635), has emphasized the importance of civil society in monitoring and addressing extrajudicial killings. The police’s actions in this case contradict these principles and set a worrying precedent for human rights work in conflict-affected regions.
APCR expressed its unequivocal solidarity with PUCL Chhattisgarh and demands:
- Immediate accountability for the officers involved in obstructing PUCL members.
- A clear commitment from the Chhattisgarh government to uphold the right of activists and organizations to assist communities in legal proceedings without fear of persecution.
- A thorough and independent inquiry by human rights bodies into the harassment faced by PUCL members.
Silencing those who defend constitutional rights only weakens democracy. APCR stands firmly with all human rights defenders working to uphold justice and due process in India.