Dr GN Saibaba death: Human Rights Defenders will fight for Justice | Henri Tiphange

Former Delhi University professor and activist Dr GN Saibaba, who had become a symbol of state repression, passed away on Saturday, October 12, at the age of 58. This comes just seven months after his acquittal in a UAPA case which alleged that he was involved with Maoists. During his ten years of incarceration, Saibaba had repeatedly spoken out about the harsh treatment and torture he endured from prison authorities and the lack of medical treatment. Despite being permanently paralyzed due to polio, he claimed that prison officials even withheld his medication. There are several activists, scholars and even journalists who continue to face UAPA charges and are forced to serve long jail terms, even if the evidence against them in many cases are flimsy. TNM’s Shabbir Ahmed spoke to Henri Tiphange on the long legal battle waged by human rights defenders to free Dr Saibaba and how institutions like the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the judiciary failed him.