Soneshwar Narah and Pranab Doley

Human Rights Defenders

Assam

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on April 9, 2020 regarding the arrest of activists Mr. Soneshwar Narah and Mr. Pranab Doley for exposing human rights violations and corruption in the public distribution system in Assam. 

Mr. Narah and Mr. Doley – Convenor and Secretary of farmers’ organisation Jeepal Krishak Sramik Sangha, respectively – were called to the Bokhkhat Police Station on April 7, 2020 on the pretext of recording their statement regarding corruption in the public distribution system. They were arrested upon arrival without an arrest memo in connection with a June 2018 case from the Bokhkhat Police station, and charged under Sections 109, 188, 353, 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for deterring the police from discharging their duty.