SC's bail to Soni Sori: Amnesty says Ch'garh should take a cue

Welcoming Supreme Court's ruling to grant bail to tribal teacher Soni Sori and journalist Lingaram Kodopi, Amnesty International India today said the Chhattisgarh government should take a cue from this and drop all the charges against the duo.
"This is a very encouraging development and we welcome the Supreme Court's verdict which gives hope to the human rights movement in Chhattisgarh," said Shashikumar Velath, Programme Director at Amnesty International India.
Velath demanded that Chhattisgarh authorities should drop all the charges against the duo.
"The Chhattisgarh authorities should take a cue from this verdict and immediately correct the historic wrongs committed against these two by dropping all other charges.

"This emblematic case should also serve as a reminder of hundreds of other human rights violations that have been carried out in Chhattisgarh in the garb of fighting Maoist insurgency. The state and its agencies should revisit their policies in tackling dissent and human rights accountability," he said.
The 36-year-old Sori and her activist-nephew Kodopi (25) were arrested on charges of acting as Maoist conduits who had allegedly received protection money for the rebels from Essar Group in Chhattisgarh.
In September 2013, Amnesty International India had submitted a petition supported by over 10,000 people to Chief Minister Raman Singh seeking the immediate and unconditional release of Sori and Kodopi.