Death Penalty

Press Statements

15 Dec 2011

The Righting of an Injustice: Jiten Marandi and Three Others Acquitted

PUDR welcomes the Jharkhand High Court decision acquitting Jiten Marandi and three other adivasi poor peasants, earlier convicted and given the death sentence by District and Sessions Court, Giridih in Chilkari Firing of October 26, 2007 in the Girdih District, in which 19 persons were killed and many injured. This firing was allegedly done by CPI (Maoist) cadres aimed at immobilizing the Nagarik Suraksha Samiti, an alleged vigilante force of the former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi’s political party, the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha.

26 Aug 2011

Commute the Death Sentence of Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan

The People’s Union for Democratic Rights, Delhi (PUDR) is deeply distressed by the President’s rejection of the appeal for mercy for the three accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The three accused, Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan had been awarded the death penalty in 1997 by the TADA Court and the same was confirmed by the Supreme Court in 1999. While the crime committed is heinous, there are a number of reasons that should permit commutation of their sentence to life imprisonment.

12 Aug 2011

PUDR concerned at the SC upholding death sentence for Mohmmad Arif in Red fort case and rejection of mercy petition of Mohmmad Afzal

Peoples Union for Democratic Rights is deeply concerned at the Supreme Court upholding the death penalty for Mohammad Arif@ Ashfaq in the Red Fort Attack case as well as the Union Home Ministry advisory to the President in the Parliament Attack case, to reject Mohammad Afzal’s mercy petition. While PUDR, as a matter of principle opposes death sentence, in both cases under consideration, there are facts connected with the case which make the death sentence nothing less than judicial murder.

3 Jun 2011

PUDR urges the Government to commute the death sentence of Bhullar as well as Mahender Nath

3rd June 2011

Peoples Union for Democratic Rights urges the Union Government to commute the death sentence awarded to Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar as well as Mahendra Nath Das.

Report

13 Nov 2011

PEOPLE’S CONVENTION FOR THE RELEASE OF THE PEOPLE’S ARTIST JITAN MARANDI

It was a long-awaited gathering. About five months had passed since the conviction of Jitan Marandi and three others, all poor peasants from adivasi, dalit and downtrodden socio-economic backgrounds by the District and Sessions Court at Giridih, Jharkhand. Jitan himself had been incarcerated for about 3 years and 8 months, accused in various cases, including the one filed in the wake of the Chilkhari firing of October 26, 2007 in the Giridih district. This is the report on the Public Convention against the death penalty to Jiten Marandi and others held in Ranchi on 12th November 2011