Amnesty, CORE hail court order
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 19 2014: Hailing the court order for releasing Irom Chanu Sharmila, Amnesty International India has described it as a legal and moral victory of Sharmila's 13-year-long hunger strike.

"This welcome but long overdue judgement recognises that Irom Sharmila's hunger strike is a powerful protest for human rights and a peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression," Shailesh Rai, programme director at Amnesty International India, said in a statement.

It may be recalled here, last year, Amnesty International India, which has recognised Sharmila for long as a "Prisoner of Conscience" garnered the support of over 18,000 people from across the country calling for the unconditional release of Irom Sharmila.

Meanwhile, Centre for Organisation Research and Education (CORE) of Manipur, while welcoming the landmark order for releasing Irom Chanu Sharmila passed by the District and Sessions Judge of Imphal East District, Manipur, Aribam Guneshwor Sharma, has expressed concern that her continued protest of fast for the repeal of AFSPA will put her at a heightened risk to her personal safety and life.

In a statement, Laifungbam Debabrata Roy, President of CORE, said that it was astounding that after more than 12 years of being convicted to imprisonment under IPC section 309 (attempt to commit suicide), a judicial opinion has been expressed that there is no evidence that she has attempted to commit suicide! If the judicial opinion has any weight in the long turn, the order has put the tenability of Section 309 in the Indian Penal Code under a cloud.

The judicial implications apart, the CORE commends the courageous order passed by a District and Sessions Judge of Manipur.

The political dimension of Irom Chanu Sharmila's unique lone protest stance has been thrust into prominence for the first time since she began her fast.

Aribam's judgement will go down in Manipur's history, whatever the final outcome of his order, as one that contributed substantially to the recognition and resolution of the political conflict that has existed between New Delhi and Manipur for many decades, and the final erasure of AFSPA from the jurisprudence of India, the statement added.

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