To: Shrimati Pratibha Patil, President of India
To: Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India
To: Dr. Raman Singh, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh
To: Justice Rajendra Babu, Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission
To: Shri Ramvichar Netam, Home Minister, Government of Chhattisgarh
To: Shri Shivraj Singh, Chief Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh

I, and members and supporters of a broad coalition of international organizations, are concerned about the state of human rights justice in India and the treatment of human rights activists by the state governments. As Dr. Binayak Sen completes one year of imprisonment, we are writing to you today to urge you to take effective steps towards:

• The immediate release of Dr. Sen. and other human rights activists;
  
• Repealing repressive laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2004; and, Chhattisgarh Special Public Safety Act, 2005
  
• Disbanding the militia movement of Salwa Judum
  

Dr. Binayak Sen is the Vice President of PUCL, one of the oldest civil liberties organizations in the country known for its independent and crucial work in investigating and challenging human rights abuse. He has done outstanding work in the provision of health care to indigenous people in Chhattisgarh, in setting up the workers Shaheed hospital in Dalli Rajahara, and through his services through the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan. His contributions to human rights justice are internationally acclaimed and he has been awarded the Jonathan Mann award for Global Health and Human Rights this year.

On May 14, 2007 Dr. Sen was arrested in Raipur under the Chhattisgarsh Special Public Security Act, 2005 (CSPSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 2004 (UAPA) on charges that are completely baseless. Many national and international human rights organizations such as Peoples Union for Democratic Rights and Human Rights Watch have found these laws to be repressive, and the state has used these to imprison committed human rights activists and journalists including Lachit Bordoloi, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferriera, Govindan Kutty and also in Chhattisgarh recently, Ajay TG. We demand that these laws be repealed and the government stop the harassment of human rights activists.

Dr. Binayak Sen is a courageous man who has participated in many investigations which have drawn attention to severe human rights violations, including the murder of unarmed and demonstrably innocent civilians by the police and the Salwa Judum - widely considered to be a government-backed vigilante group active in Southern Chhattisgarh. We join Dr. Sen in calling upon the government to stop arming the Salwa Judum, which has only led to an unparalleled increase in violence in Chhattisgarh and displaced thousands of local indigenous people.

The international human rights community is alarmed and dismayed at the treatment meted to advocates of social justice and human rights in India with a proven record of their ceaseless effort for human rights justice. We take this opportunity to present before you:

• A statement of support for Dr. Binayak Sen and other human rights activists in India signed by 35 international groups.
  
• A petition asking for release for Dr. Binayak Sen originated by CMC Vellore alumni groups which has over 2500 signatures.
  
• A petition voicing concern over Dr. Binayak Sens arrest originated by Association for Indias Development, with over 1000 signature.
  
• A petition opposing continued detention of Dr. Binayak Sen originated by Association for Indias Development with over 500 signatures.
  

We look forward to your active support on the issue and hope that justice will prevail.

Yours Sincerely,