Indian hunger striker released after 14 years in prison

10 years ago | Posted in: women | 559 Views

An Indian human rights activist imprisoned on charges of attempting suicide walked free on Wednesday after spending 14 years on hunger strike demanding the repeal of a law that put large swathes of northeastern India under martial law for decades.

Irom Sharmila, 42, began refusing food in 2000 after 10 people were killed near her home in the northeastern state of Manipur, an act that was reportedly carried out by security forces under the cover of the draconian law known as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) which gives impunity to state actors battling insurgency.

When Sharmila began her hunger strike, the state charged her with attempting suicide and she was imprisoned in a state-run hospital and force-fed through tubes. Fourteen years later, a court in Manipur’s capital, Imphal, dropped that charge on Tuesday and ordered the human rights campaigner freed.

“The case of Sharmila attempting to commit suicide could not be established,” her lawyer Babloo Loitongbam said. .. see more

source: America Aljazeera

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