2nd People’s Tribunal On Wrongful Persecutions To Be Held In Calicut

Peoples’ Tribunals are one of the most effective means of calling attention to unrepresented and unheard voices of those wronged by the system. While survivors of innocent exonerees have bravely led individual struggle(s), their effort would be meaningless without larger societal participation in the process of undoing injustice done to them. The public tribunal aims to ensure that the question of justice in these cases does not remain merely legal or policy oriented, but also a moral one.  The purpose of the Innocence Network Tribunal is to articulate and address the grievances of the exonerees and also ensure effective reparation so that justice is seen to prevail.

Towards this end, Innocence Network is organizing a series of public tribunals across India. The first Innocence Tribunal was held in Delhi and  chaired by Justice A.P. Shah (Ex C.J Delhi High Court, and chairman of the 20th Law commision of India). The Tribunal consisted of  a eight-member Jury of distinguished members from the legal fraternity as well as the larger civil society. 13 innocents from all across India, a representative sample from some of the most prominent cases of false prosecution over the last two decades, deposed before the jury and a select audience of policymakers, journalists, members of parliament, and concerned citizens.

The jury took note of the systemic nature of violations against the innocents and sought to strongly distinguish  them from simple policing errors or cases of mistaken  identity. It acknowledged the prosecution’s malicious evidences placed, as well as the political and electoral implications regarding the cases.

Two months after the tribunal the Jury released its findings and suggestions in front of the media. Among other things, the Jury recommended strong actions against the erring officers, dedication of a special cell within NHRC for right to liberty violations, and came up with a legislative framework for compensation and rehabilitation for those who have been wrongfully prosecuted.

The tribunal in Kerala

The Kerala context is pertinent. Over the last decade Kerala has witnessed more than 160 UAPA cases, most being “Naxal-Maoist” cases. Several prominent activists, academicians, and filmmakers have been arrested under UAPA leading to widespread uproar about the way the state is deploying UAPA to criminalize ideological and democratic assertions. At this juncture the tribunal is trying to assess the execution of UAPA in both Kerala and national context and to outline the dangers of malicious prosecution by the state. The tribunal will seek to deliberate upon the draconian provisions of UAPA and to come up with awareness of its execution within a democratic polity.

The Tribunal will consist of a Jury headed by a retired judge along with other distinguished members from the legal fraternity as well as the larger civil society. The jury includes Ret. Justice K Sukumaran, Kerala High Court, Dr M.G.S Narayanan, Adv. Ravi Varma Kumar, Former Additional Solicitor General, K.S. Subrahmanyan I.P.S, Former Assi. Director, Intelligence Bureau, Adv. VasudhaNagaraj,Human Rights Lawyer Dr Sajjaad Hassan IAS, Prof  M.V Narayanan, University of Calicut.

As many as 20 persons who have been acquitted from terror cases will give their testimony during the event.

It shall also host a panel discussion between these acquitted men, senior journalists, human rights activists and senior lawyers and eminent judges of High Court and Supreme Court of India.The representatives of Solidarity Youth Movement,South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre, People’s Watch,P.U.C.L,Quill Foundation, Human Rights Law Network, Insaf, A.P.C.R, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind J.T.S.A, Janakeeya Manushyavakasha Prasthanam, Minority Watch,  N.C.H.R.O , Peoples Movement against Nuclear Energy and Innocence Network India would be present in the panel discussion.

The event is scheduled for March 11, 2017 between 10.30 am to 4.00 pm at Tagore Hall, Calicut organized by  Solidarity Youth Movement, Kerala. This will be the second Tribunal of this type that will be held in the country providing means of getting attention to the unrepresented and unheard voices of those wronged by the system. Quill Foundation is one of the core bodies facilitating the Innocence Network along with other civil society organisations.

The Innocence Network seeks reforms at the criminal justice level to prevent the practice of unjust incarceration. It also aims to establish support mechanisms for exonerees to help rebuild their lives post release.