Papa gaat naar Chhattisgarh

Artikel in The Times of India vandaag:

EU observers want to watch Binayak's trial

NEW DELHI: Foreign observers will keep a close watch on the Chhattisgarh High Court's hearing on rights activist Binayak Sen's appeal on Monday.

The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has forwarded to the Chhatisgarh government a request from an eight-member European Union (EU) delegation keen to watch the proceedings in the HC in Bilaspur on January 24.

Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh has forwarded the Centre's request to the HC, leaving it to the judiciary to take a decision whether the foreign observers be allowed to watch the proceedings.

letter from the MEA to the ministry of home affairs said it has "received a request from the European Union delegation in India seeking assistance in facilitating an Observer Mission including representatives of Delhi-based diplomatic missions from Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, the UK and the EU to attend the hearing relating to Dr Binayak Sen on January 24 at Chhattisgarh High Court."

The foreign delgates -- scheduled to arrive in Raipur on Sunday evening -- are Peter Kimpian (Hungary), Raphael Martin de Lagarde (France), Alexandra Berg von Linde (Sweden), Florian Burkhardt (Germany), Jochen Anthierens (Belgium), Iain Twigg (UK), Louise de Brass (Denmark) and Anne Vaugier-Chatterjee (EU).

Sen, a doctor by profession, had been sentenced to life imprisonment on sedition charges by a Chhattisgarh trial court after prosecution alleged that he acted as a courier of letter between a cadre and leaders of banned Maoists, who are fighting against the state in at least nine states, including Chhattisgarh.

Incidentally, on Thursday, the Supreme Court took exception to an activist reporting post-Godhra court proceedings to an international human rights body.

Human rights activist Teesta Setalvad faced the Supreme Court's wrath for reporting to Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council about 10 serious Gujarat riot case proceedings being monitored by the highest court.

"It shows you (Teesta) do not have confidence in us. We are monitoring the cases and are here to hear your grievances. Yet, you write to the UN body. Can the international body provide protection to witnesses?" asked a Bench comprising Justices D K Jain, P Sathasivam and Aftab Alam.