IAMC Expresses Anguish Over Death of G.N. Saibaba; Condemns India’s Inhumane Treatment of Political Prisoners

Washington, D.C. (October 14, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today expressed shock and deep anguish over the death of renowned Indian human rights activist and Professor G.N. Saibaba, who died of cardiac arrest just months after being released from a 10-year-long imprisonment under false terror charges. 

Professor Saibaba was one of five activists arrested in May 2014 under India’s draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), accused of having links with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) due to his vocal criticism of the Indian government’s treatment of indigenous tribals. Despite scant evidence, he was convicted and imprisoned.

Like many of India’s political prisoners, Professor Saibaba was subjected to inhumane treatment during his detention. At the time of his arrest, he suffered from polio in one leg and was dependent on a wheelchair. In prison, he was repeatedly denied medical care, causing his condition to deteriorate; by the time he was released in March 2024, he was over 90% handicapped, most of his vital organs were compromised, and his mental health had been affected. 

IAMC strongly condemns the Indian government’s systemic abuse of political prisoners, which not only violates basic human rights but also represents a broader pattern of repression targeting civil society, journalists, and intellectuals. Professor Saibaba’s unjust incarceration and tragic death underscore the misuse of draconian laws like the UAPA to silence critics, activists, and marginalized communities.

IAMC also recalls the custodial murder of Father Stan Swamy, another prominent political prisoner, who died in July 2021 while in detention. Father Swamy, an 84-year-old Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist suffering from Parkinson’s disease, was held under similarly unjust charges. His repeated requests for basic medical aid, including a straw to drink water, were cruelly ignored by authorities, resulting in his death. Father Swamy’s death, like that of Professor Saibaba, stands as a stark reminder of the Indian state’s callous disregard for the lives of its political prisoners.

IAMC further calls for the release of all Indian political prisoners, including other prominent activists such as Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, Khurram Parvez, Irfan Meraj, Khalid Saifi, Sharjeel Imam, Sanjiv Bhatt, and several others who are being denied basic human liberties as part of a larger effort to suppress dissent.