US congressman: Investigate death of Indian priest in custody

US Rep. Juan Vargas has called for an independent inquiry into the death of an 84-year-old Indian Jesuit priest and human rights defender. Nine months after Stan Swamy was arrested without trial under the country’s anti-terrorism laws.

The Democratic congressman from California introduced a resolution this week to commemorate Swami’s death in police custody last July.

“Father Stein is a staunch human rights defender who has dedicated his life to speaking up for the voiceless,” he said in statement“He advocated for the rights of indigenous peoples, trained young community leaders, and brought justice to India’s many abused communities.”

Swami was arrested in October 2020 along with nine other activists on charges of collaborating with Maoist terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA and charged with killing in western Maharashtra in 2018 Trabant incites violence.

At the time of his arrest, Swami already had Parkinson’s disease and contracted COVID-19 while in pretrial detention. In several letters he wrote from prison, Swami detailed the inhumane treatment he received, including being denied water. Despite his deteriorating health, his bail applications have been repeatedly refused. He passed away on July 5, 2021.

“As a former Jesuit, I was appalled that Father Stan was ruthlessly abused and denied medical treatment while in custody,” Vargas said. “It is an honor to propose this resolution as we remember Father Stein’s lifelong commitment to the greater good.”

in an earlier column The Christian PostJoseph De Sousa, founder of the Dignity Freedom Network, which provides humanitarian assistance to the marginalized and abandoned in South Asia, called Swami a martyr and suggested that the Catholic Church declare him a saint.

Days after Swami’s death, USCIRF urge The Biden administration “holds the Indian government accountable”.

USCIRF President Nadine Maenza “condemns in the strongest terms the Indian government’s willful neglect and targeting” of the priest’s death, urges “the United States to hold the Indian government accountable and raise religious freedom concerns in the U.S. – India Bilateral relations.”

Washington post famous India’s anti-terrorism law at the time was amended in 2019 to allow the government to designate individuals as terrorists and detain them for up to six months without providing any evidence. In addition, the accused could then be imprisoned for up to seven years. “Critics called the law harsh and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of using it to suppress dissent.”

Two days before his arrest, Swami had Video message posted on YouTube He fears he will be arrested because he opposes the government’s indiscriminate arrest of thousands of young Aboriginal and local settlers who question large commercial projects that take away their land.

“For the past three decades, I’ve tried to identify myself with Aboriginal (Aboriginal) people and the people they struggle to live with dignity and self-respect,” Swami said. “As a writer, I try to analyze the different issues they face. In the process, I have made clear objections to several policies, laws, and laws that the government has made under the constitution.”