Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Thirty-seven international human rights groups want Assam to drop the National Security Act against activist Pranab Doley. They sent an open letter on August 18 demanding his immediate release. Authorities must act now.
Doley leads the Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee. Police arrested him and four others, Rajib Pegu, Brijit Kutum, Amit Nag, and Bhaskar Saikia, on June 29. These arrests followed protests against a five-star hotel planned near Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. The Golaghat Sessions Court granted bail to all five men on July 29, but the state invoked the NSA against Doley the very next day.
The groups demand the government drop all criminal charges against the remaining four activists. They also seek an independent inquiry into the arrests and alleged excessive use of force. The coalition claims that 60 bighas of Adivasi-owned grazing land were seized for the hotel project, resulting in the forced eviction of 45 families in 2024.
Signatories from India, the U.S., the U.K., and ten other nations challenged the use of the NSA. They noted that Doley's past international travel to forums like the UN Convention on Biological Diversity is standard rights advocacy. "Indigenous environmental and human rights defenders such as Pranab Doley play an essential role in promoting environmental justice, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts over land and natural resources," the letter stated.
The organizations argue the project failed to secure the required free, prior and informed consent from local communities. While Hyatt confirmed they have no agreement to brand or operate the hotel, the activists urge all investors to conduct human rights due diligence. They want the state to respect land rights and release Doley.
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