Police in India kidnap Arun Ferreira, activist for Dalits and tribals...

"The warrantless arrest of Arun Ferreira once again demonstrates the state's complete disregard for human rights." This is the opinion of Fr. Allwyn D'Silva, president of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Mumbai and uncle of the activist for the rights of tribals and Dalits. In prison since 2007 due to an accusation of being a Nassalite (a Maoist guerrilla), on September 27 a special court in Maharashtra acquitted the man and ordered his release. Which, in fact, never happened: just after he was released from Nagpur prison, plainclothes officers stopped him, covered his face and forced him into an unmarked car, in which they fled. All under the gaze of his elderly parents, who were waiting for him outside the prison. His lawyers tried to intervene but were beaten.

His lawyers immediately sent a letter to the Commissioner to ask for the reasons of the arrest, but have not yet received and answer.

 According to Fr. Allwyn, the new arrest – like that of 2007 – is linked to his struggle to defend the rights of the most marginalized in society, because "there are many cases like Arun's of false accusations against those who defend the rights of the weakest". Full story...

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