Jignesh Mevani

Member of Legislative Assembly 

Assam 

HRDA issued an urgent appeal over the misuse of law, fabricated charges and the illegal arrest of Member of Legislative Assembly Mr Jignesh Mevani by the Assam police for his social media post critical of the Prime Minister. 

Mr Mevani has been an established HRD and has participated in several movements in Gujarat. He is the founder of Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch (RDAM), a Dalit rights organisation which raises issues pertaining to caste atrocities. 

His arrest violated several procedures provided by the DK Basu guidelines. A team from Assam had travelled to Gujarat to arrest him but did not provide a copy of the FIR that had been registered against him in Assam. Neither did they under which sections he was charged.  

His arrest shows the increasing criminalization of the right to free speech and dissent in India. We urged the Hon’ble Commission to direct the independent wing of the NHRC to initiate an immediate, independent, thorough, transparent, effective, and impartial investigation into illegal and uncompounded charges against Mr Mevani.