Bhim Army Chief’s Detention

We, on behalf of the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), a civil rights organisation, would like to draw your attention to the unjust incarceration of Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan, chief of the Bhim Army, a young and dynamic democratic rights activist. He was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) police on 9 June 2017. Apart from multiple criminal cases, that we believe are being unjustly foisted on him, the draconian National Security Act (NSA) has also been slapped on him since November 2017.

We have learnt that through a shocking order passed on 23 January, the UP government has extended application of the NSA under Section 12(1) of the said act. His detention has been extended for a period of six months starting on 2 November 2017 implying that he will be detained till May 2018. The order says that “after consideration of all material on board” and the “advise of the advisory board (detentions) of the government the period of detention is being extended tentatively.”