COVID-19: Representation to CJI to release 'declared foreigners' from detention centres in Assam

A representation has been sent to Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde for the immediate release of "declared foreigners" detained in six detention centres in Assam with some conditions in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

New Delhi [India], Mar 25 : A representation has been sent to Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde for the immediate release of "declared foreigners" detained in six detention centres in Assam with some conditions in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

Direct Assam government not to detain anymore "declared foreigners" into detention or arrest them until the situation affected by COVID-19 returns to normalcy, the representation sent by Justice and Liberty and Initiative stated.

Justice and Liberty and Initiative is an orgsation working on the ground in Assam to provide legal aid to Indian citizens.

The representation said that similar benefits may also be extended to persons declared foreigner facing perpetual detention in Assam.

"Being 'human beings' they have at least the basic right to live and not to die of COVID-19 in precincts of a prison, which has despicable living conditions," it stated.

Many of the detenues are old and ailing. In fact, it is reported that 10 detenues have died in detention in the last one year -- March 1, 2019 to February 29, 2020 --, as informed by the Minister of State in Ministry of Home Affairs in Lok Sabha, the representation stated.

In the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, the detenues will be more vulnerable in the already crowded detention centres, it added.

( With inputs from ANI )