People’s Union for Democratic Rights

A civil liberties and democratic rights organisation based in Delhi, India

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.

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Remembering Stan Swamy (26 April 1937 – 5 July 2021)

The state persecuted Stan Swamy under the UAPA, a punishment that precipitated his death as an undertrial 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. Stan Swamy’s persecution under the UAPA offers an understanding of how many others have been similarly punished by the state for their dissenting politics.

Prior to his incarceration, Stan Swamy’s 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.

Read: Framed to Die: The Case of Stan Swamy at Framed_to_die.pdf

Latest Press Statements

Lift the casteist ban on APSC!

On 22 May 2015, the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IITM), a student group namely Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) was ‘derecognised’ by the Dean of Students following an  advisory note received from the Under Secretary to the Human Resource Development...

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Latest Publications

Custodial Rape

Socially and judiciously rape victim is deemed an accomplice to the crime. The contradiction between formal condemnation of rape and and simultaneous belief in the complicity of the victim arises from social attitude towards female sexuality and chastity. Female...

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Latest Prison projects

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