HYDERABAD: United Nations Human Rights experts from Geneva on Thursday urged India to release Andhra origin Delhi University Professor Dr G N Saibaba on health grounds.

Maharashtra police arrested the professor, who uses a wheelchair, for his alleged links to Maoists in 2014 and Gadchiroli sessions court sentenced him for life imprisonment in March 2017 on the charges of waging war against the nation. Recently in March 2018, he wrote a letter from Nagpur jail to his wife on the deterioration of his health condition. His wife Vasantha approached various human rights forums.

A joint statement released in Geneva by Special Rapporteurs on human right defences and rights of persons with disabilities said “human rights defender” Dr GN Saibaba is in wheelchair user with severe disabilities and has been reportedly held in solitary confinement under poor jail conditions and with no facilities for disabled and no staff to handle them.

“We are concerned about reports that Dr Saibaba is suffering from more than 15 different health problems, some of which have potentially fatal consequences. He is now in urgent need of adequate medical treatment. We would like to remind India that any denial of reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities in detention is not only discriminatory but may well amount to ill-treatment or even torture. In particular, solitary confinement should be prohibited when the conditions of prisoners with disabilities would be made worse by this measure (sic),” the experts said in the statement.

The experts asked India to immediately ensure that the jail professor has continuous and unrestricted access to health care and rehabilitation.

Experts also suggested that Indian government to guarantee that all human rights defenders in the country can conduct their legitimate work without fear of threats or intimidation.

Professor Saibaba faced charges under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and as well Criminal conspiracy. The judgement by Gadchiroli court then said that the profession was in possession of Naxal literature, correspondence, electronic materials which are used to incite violence to cause public disorder. The sessions judge then commented that though Saibaba is 90 per cent disabled there is no ground to show him leniency as he is mentally fit.

