The civil rights movement in India has emerged as an autonomous voice in defense of civil liberties and democratic rights of our people. The Peoples Union for Democratic Rights, Delhi, is one such organisation. It came into existence in 1977 as the Delhi unit of a larger national forum, PUCLDR, and became PUDR on 1 February, 1981.
Remembering Stan Swamy (26 April 1937 – 5 July 2021)
The state penalized Stan Swamy under the UAPA, a punishment that precipitated his death in judicial custody. Stan Swamy was framed, fettered, and finally forced towards a fatal illness under due process of law called the UAPA. The charges levelled reveal the state’s deep prejudice against an upright activist who spent decades in building and empowering Adivasi rights against historic neglect and exploitation.
Prior to his incarceration, his failing health was well known, but he was not granted even medical bail let alone regular bail. The NIA and the prison authorities refused to acknowledge the deterioration that he suffered in prison, and they failed to uphold his rights as a prisoner, a right to decent health care and facilities.
Stan’s persecution under the law offers an understanding of how many others have been similarly punished by the state for their dissenting politics.
Read: Framed to Die: The Case of Stan Swamy at Framed_to_
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Labour Court upholds dismissal of Maruti worker, despite name not being there in FIR, citing importance of having strict discipline in the workforce
More than a decade after the incident of violence on 18 July, 2012 in the Manesar plant of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, the Labour Courts have once again revealed their anti-worker stance. In an award released to the petitioners on 1 December 2025 (issued on 7 November,...
Oppose raids and attacks on Kashmir Times
People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) condemns the recent raids and attack on Kashmir Times, one of the oldest news organizations of Jammu and Kashmir. Reportedly, the eleven hours raid conducted by the Special Investigation Agency (SIA) in the Jammu head office...
प्रेस विज्ञप्ति: दिल्ली 1984: द लॉंग आफ़्टरमाथ : आपराधिक नाइंसाफ़ी, उदासीनता और जीवित बचे लोगों के संघर्ष के 41 वर्ष
पीयूडीआर और पीयूसीएल द्वारा 17 नवंबर 1984 को जारी की गई रिपोर्ट "दोषी कौन?" के 41 वर्ष पूरे होने के अवसर पर, जारी रिपोर्ट, दिल्ली 1984: द लॉंग आफ़्टरमाथ : आपराधिक नाइंसाफ़ी, उदासीनता और जीवित बचे लोगों के संघर्ष के 41 वर्ष (Criminal Injustice, Apathy And Struggles of...
Press Release on release of PUDR Report – DELHI 1984: THE LONG AFTERMATH, 41 YEARS OF CRIMINAL INJUSTICE, APATHY AND STRUGGLES OF SURVIVORS
Marking forty-one years of PUDR and PUCL’s Who are the Guilty? (released on 17 November 1984), PUDR’s report, Delhi 1984: The Long Aftermath, 41 years of Criminal Injustice, Apathy and Struggles of Survivors (November 2025), offers a detailed account of three...
In Solidarity Against Police Repression on Democratic Movements in Ladakh
People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) strongly condemns the large scale atrocities by the police on democratic movements in Ladakh. On 24 September 2025, four individuals lost their lives in a shooting incident in Ladakh, with over 50 others sustaining injuries....
Latest Publications
37th Annual Ramanadham Memoria Lecture 2022: Digitization, Science and Criminal Investigation: Concerns for Democratic Rights
Every year PUDR organizes a Dr Ramanadham memorial lecture on a topic of contemporary interest. Last year it was Urban Planning and Democratic Rights. The year before that it was on Judiciary and Democratic Rights. In 2008 the topic of the 22nd Ramanadham memorial...
Poster Campaign: Repeal UAPA! Release the Bhima Koregaon undertrials!
As part of its campaign for the release of activists incarcerated in the Bhima Koregaon case, PUDR has created posters in English and Hindi which portray the draconian features of UAPA along with portraits of the activists. Posters in English Posters in Hindi
पोस्टर अभियान। यूएपीए रद्द करो। भीमा कोरेगांव के विचाराधीन कैदियों को रिहा करो!
Poster campaign. Cancel UAPA. Release the undertrial prisoners of Bhima Koregaon!
Another ‘Natural’ Death in Tihar: Custodial Death of Jishan and its aftermath
On 15 February 2022, 19 year old Jishan, an undertrial arrested for a petty theft in November 202, died in judicial custody of Delhi’s Tihar Jail. This report is based on PUDR investigation of this incident and its aftermath. The PUDR team spoke to the family and...
Behind the veil of algorithms: Invisible workers
A report on workers in 'Gig' Economy. The growth of the ‘gig’ economy and ‘gig workers’ in India is a phenomenon of the last decade or so. Even though this may not be the fastest growing category of workers, still names like Swiggy, Zomato, Ola, Uber or Urban Company...
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