Volume 3, No. 2, February 2002

We the undersigned are alarmed at the tendentious reporting on the alleged involvement of Syed Abdul Rehaman Geelani in the December 13 attack on Indian parliament. In contrast, the media has not carried his side of the story. As it is having been charged under POTO an innocent person has very little chance of escaping destruction of his/her life and liberty.

In a number of visits by several teachers and civil rights activists to Syed Abdul Rehman Geelani in Tihar Jail he has insisted that he is innocent of the charges levelled against him. He was picked up on the day of the incident from outside the Khalsa college and taken to some farm house where he was stripped and hung upside down,then beaten and filthiest communal abuse were hurled at him. During the third degree that he was subjected to he was made to sign on blank papers as well as a statement that he was not tortured. When he was presented before the magistrate in his chamber several high ranking police officers were present. He chose to keep quiet when asked whether he was maltreated fearing further physical abuse. However,he refused to make any "confession" since he maintained he was innocent. He told us that when he asked one of the officer who was interrogating him what was his crime he was was told "you are educated". We believe Geelani’s guilt is that he is an educated Kashmiri Muslim.

Currently in judical custody he was removed from ward 8 which houses Kashmiri detenues to ward 2 which houses people charged with heinous crime. We fear for his life because everytime he is taken out of his solitary cell other detenues bray for his life.

The paranoia exhibited by the authorities is such that his wife and two children, both minors, were kept in Lodhi road police station for three days and their whereabouts were hidden from their family and friends. We appeal to every democratic minded person to protest his persecution especially for projecting him as guilty without establishing the charges made against him. The rule of law in a democracy demands presumption of innocence. We, therefore, demand the withdrawl of application of POTO and for restoration of his civil liberties including his teaching position.

New Delhi, January 4, 2002

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