Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: United Nations experts are pushing for the release of five indigenous activists arrested in Assam. Police detained Pranab Doley, Rajib Pegu, Brijit Kutum, Amit Nag, and Bhaskar Saikia earlier this week. The arrests followed June 29 protests against a luxury tourism project at Inglay Pathar, located near Kaziranga National Park. This development involves a deal between the Assam government, Juniper Hotels, and Hyatt.
Authorities booked the men on various charges including rioting, criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and obstructing public servants. The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, alongside four Special Rapporteurs, issued a statement Friday expressing alarm. They are deeply concerned about the detentions.
The panel warned that legal harassment and arrests threaten the safety of human rights defenders. They fear these actions create a chilling effect on civic space. The experts stated, "States must ensure human rights defenders are able to exercise their right to protect, defend and promote human rights and carry out their work safely and without fear of intimidation, reprisals or criminalisation."
Reports indicate the local police unit involved in the arrests has faced prior allegations of torture. The UN now wants these criminal proceedings to meet international standards. They also demanded the immediate suspension of all development and land acquisition at the site. No project should move forward until local indigenous communities provide free, prior, and informed consent.
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