Press Invitation
March 9th 2021
To Editors and Correspondents,
Subject:
After almost seven years in jail and rapidly deteriorating health in judicial custody, on February 13th 2021, Vasantha, Dr. GN Saibaba’s wife, received a call from the Nagpur Central Jail informing her that her husband has contracted the COVID-19. Dr. Saibaba, a wheelchair-bound person with over 90% disability suffering from over 19 different ailments including muscle atrophy and a clot in his brain, has been denied basic medical care in prison while being imprisoned in the inhumane anda cell. He has not been permitted to meet his family throughout the lockdown and was assured letters from home, a basic right of every prisoner, only after a prolonged hunger strike in jail. With weakened immunity and multiple co-morbidities, the COVID-19 and the accompanying impact on the body is life-threatening. Demanding his immediate release to ensure adequate medical treatment and parole on health grounds, the Committee for the Defence and Release of Dr. GN Saibaba will be addressing the press to speak of the rights of prisoners, rights of persons with disabilities and the shocking medical neglect of prisoners who have contracted COVID-19 in the custody of the state.
Those who will be addressing the press conference include:
· Arundhati Roy, writer
· D Raja, Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
· Muralidharan, National Platform for the Rights of Disabled
· Nandita Narain, Former President, DUTA
· Prashant Bhushan, Senior Advocate
· Prof. Parminder Singh, Association for Democratic Rights, Punjab
· Sanjay Kak, filmmaker
· Vasantha, wife of Dr. GN Saibaba and women’s rights activist
Please send a correspondent to cover the press conference.
Press Conference: Release Dr. GN Saibaba Immediately!
Date: March 10th, 2021 (Wednesday)
Time: 3:30 pm
Venue: Press Club of India, New Delhi
1, Raisina Road, New Delhi 110001
Committee for the Defence and Release of Dr. GN Saibaba
