Many members of the civil society all over India are pouring in to condemn the police action on the protesters for justice for Asifa. We are producing a joint statement issued by concerned citizens:

`The Kerala police arrested close to a thousand people on April 16, 2018 in connection with the harthal seeking Justice for Asifa. Several youths have been arrested and charged with non-bailable offences. Arrested youths belonged to various organizations including CPM, Muslim League, Congress and SDPI and many others did not belong to any organization.

The effort was to highlight the rape of Asifa and democratically protest against the Sangh Parivar forces seeking for justice. Accusing the protesters of creating communal tension is highly condemnable. While it is understood that the law must be upheld during harthals, accusing the protesters of communal polarization and arresting them on non – bailable charges is discriminatory and unethical.

It is evident that the leaders of political parties in Kerala including the CPI(M) are backing the Sangh Parivar notions that the protest for Asifa is against the Hindu society. There is an apparent lack of democratic growth to accept protests and gatherings that are conducted outside the conventional organizational frameworks or political backing. The Sangh Parivar forces have exaggerated the reports of violence during the day of harthal, and as such there needs to be an immediate release of all the accused arrested in the Malabar region during the last two days. Reducing democratic protests and gatherings as mere tools for political gains, and demonizing people’s protest is dangerous. We demand that the state and police will rely on evidence on such matters, and withdraw from violating the human rights and freedom of expression of the citizens’

Endorsed by:

1.BRP Bhaskar, writer/journalist

2. Dr. TT Sreekumar, EFLU

3. Abdurahman, Editor

4. C.P. John, Former MLA

5. Dr. AK Ramakrishnan, Professor, JNU

6. Dr. B. Rajeevan, Writer

J. Devika, Researcher NP Chekkooty, Writer CK Abdul Aziz K. Ambujakshan, Activist. CR Neelakandan, Aam Admi Party

12. Shaik Muhammad Karakkunnu, Spiritul leader Jithendrian Charvakan, Media Activist B.S. Sherin K.K. Baburaj

16. GRO Vasu, Human Rights Activist P. Baburaj, Film Maker

18. Jeny Rovina Hamid Vaniambalam, Writer

20. Binu Mathew, Editor,

21. Prof. MT Ansari

22, Salina Prakkanam

23. Rekha Raj, Human Rights Activist

24. Geethanandan, Activist

25, Sudesh M. Raghu

26. Prof. Hani Babu

27. Sreeja Neyyattinkara

28. Dr. Narayanan M. Shankaran

29. Anoop V.R.

30. Advocate K.K. Preetha

31. Dr. Varsha Basheer

32/ A. S. Ajith Kumar

33. S. Irshad

34. Roopesh Kumar

35. Afida Ahammed

36. M. Joseph John

37. P.M. Swalih

38. Gopal Menon, Film Maker

38, Nikhila Henri, Jounalist

40. C.T. Suhaib

41. M. Jisha, Film Activist Abhilash Padacheri Dr. Ranjith Thankappan , Professor, EFL University Susie Tharu , Professor, Anveshi Research Centre, Hyderabad Ansar Abubakar, National president, Fraternity Movement, New Delhi

46, Muthuvel, Writer and Translator, Chennai

Nikhila Henry, Journalist , Hyderabad K P Sasi, Film Maker Prof. Jeny rowena Prof. M t ansari Sreerag Poickadan, President, Students Union, University of Hyderabad Ashique Rasool , Joint Secretary, Students Union , University of Hyderabad Sannaki Munna , President, Ambedkar Students Association Natasha Khan, Law Student, Chattisgarh. Sowmya Dechamma, Associate Professor, university of Hyderabad Abdullah Asim , Vice President, Students Union , Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad Srutheesh Kannadi, General Secretary, Ambedkar Students Association Nadeem Khan, United Against Hate, New Delhi Ansar Abubakar, National president, Fraternity Movement, New Delhi Mrudula Bhavani, Activist, Kerala Abhijith , Research Scholar, Cultural Studies, EFLU Hyderabad Dr Narayanan M Shankaran, Lecturer, WMO College Wayanad, Kerala Praveena Thaali, Research Scholar, University of Hyderabad Dontha Prashanth , Research scholar, University of Hyderabad

65, Thahir Jamal, Research scholar,

University of Hyderabad

66, Manasi , Research scholar, University of Hyderabad

Alice Abraham, Research scholar,

University of Hyderabad Anas Vithura, Research Scholar, University of Hyderabad

69, Shyamolie Singh, Research scholar, Jamia Millia Islamia