Human Rights Watch: Sikh Inmates Go On Hunger Strike

—December 10th marks Human Rights Day. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted on 10 December 1948. The date has since served to mark Human Rights Day worldwide.

In 2010 the Sikh inmates in Nabha Jail were not allowed to go to court and fight their cases. Due to this, every Sikh inmate decided to go on a Hunger Strike. This strike had immense support from the other prisoners and the international community; pressure was put on the police to ensure that the inmates were taken on time and they are to be presented to the judge.

Unfortunately this injustice didn’t end here.  Whilst being taken into court Balbir Singh Bira told the press, that in Nabha Jail, the inmates, once again were not taken to court on their court dates, as the Patiala Police are not allowing this. This has therefore resulted in cases being slowed down and some severe cases being delayed by 2 months.

Balbir Singh Bira told the judge that the cases against the inmates are being purposely delayed and that every Sikh prisoner now believes that the Punjab Government is deliberately doing this to make their lives hell; every time a prisoner complains it is not followed up and no one takes any notice of him or her.

The Sikh inmates of Nabha Jail have therefore decided to go on a Hunger Strike.

S.O.P.W requests the international community to support them; we implore you to write letters to your local authorities as well as governments and other Human Rights organisations; letting the world know of our injustice.

“Delay in justice is injustice.””

A political prisoner is someone who has been imprisoned for his or her philosophical, political and religious beliefs”
-Amnesty International

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