Soni Sori

WHRD

Chhattisgarh

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on October 29, 2020, regarding the denial of the COVID-19 test report, harassment, and fabricated charges against WHRD Ms. Soni Sori. Ms. Sori is an activist, a recipient of Front Line Defenders Award in 2018, and has been provided Y-category security in view of threats to her life.

Ms. Soni Sori tested positive for COVID-19 on the morning of September 24 and was served with a home isolation order, although Mr. Devendra Pratap Singh, nodal officer of the COVID-19 hospital in Geedam, did not share the test report with her. As she was supposed to present herself before the NIA on September 25, she informed officials about her health. Meanwhile, a second test on her for COVID-19 returned negative results, and NIA officers instructed her to be present for the inquiry.

Ms. Sori traveled 80 kilometers to Jagdalpur on a bike for the inquiry as no vehicle was willing to take a COVID-19 positive patient. She was questioned by NIA officials for more than six hours despite her fever and illness. On her return to Dantewada, she received a call from the Geedam COVID-19 hospital saying she had violated the home isolation order. On September 29, 2020, an FIR was lodged against Ms. Sori under Sections 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the IPC, for violating the home isolation order.