Additional Name(s): Taloja Central Jail, Navi Mumbai

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: India

Religion or Belief: Unspecified

Caste: Dalit

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes

Date of Detainment: June/6/2018

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Civil Rights Work for Religious Communities Human Rights Work for Religious Communities

Nature of Charges: Hate Speech Terrorism Treason & Sedition

Sudhir Dhawale

Extra Bio Info:

Sudhir Dhawale is detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On June 6, 2018, police in Maharashtra arrested several prominent Dalit and Adivasi rights activists, including Dhawale, a writer and one of the organizers of the Elgar Parishad event. Authorities accused Dhawale and others of inciting caste-based violence through speeches on December 31, 2017, that resulted in violent clashes the next day in Bhima Koregaon and neighboring villages in Maharashtra state.  Authorities also accused them of having ties to banned Maoist groups. Dhawale was reportedly charged under various sections of the Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

On October 5, 2018, several UN human rights experts expressed concern that the charges against Dhawale and other activists in the case are “being used to silence human rights defenders who promote and protect the rights of India’s Dalit, indigenous, and tribal communities.”

On February 14, 2020, Dhawale’s case was transferred from Pune, Maharashtra, to a special National Investigation Agency court in Mumbai.

In August 2021, the National Investigation Agency submitted draft charges to a special court in Mumbai, claiming that Dhawale and others accused in the case were active members of the banned terrorist organization Communist Party of India. It also alleged that the accused wanted to establish a “janta sarkar” “via revolution supported by a commitment to protracted armed struggle to undermine and to seize power from the state.” The accused were charged with over a dozen offenses including, "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony" (Sec. 153A IPC), public mischief (Sec. 505(1)(B) IPC), “waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India” (Sec. 121 IPC), “conspiracy to commit offences” waging war against the state (Sec. 121A IPC), sedition (Sec. 124A IPC), and several sections under UAPA.

Dhawale is currently at Taloja Central Jail, Navi Mumbai.

Dhawale has reportedly been denied proper medical care, including dental care.

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