Human rights activists in India expressed relief following the decision of the Supreme Court granting interim bail to Teesta Setalvad, a civil rights activist and journalist who has been in jail since June.
She has been accused of conspiracy to “destabilize the government” following the 2002 Gujarat communal riots.
“A big relief indeed,” said Jesuit priest Father Cedric Prakash, who has worked closely with Setalvad, on hearing about the court decision on September 2.
“[She] has been languishing in jail for more than two months,” noted Father Prakash, adding that the Gujarat government has been “unable to provide a shred of evidence against her.”
The priest said the interim bail order from the Chief Justice of India “is certainly a step in the right direction, which sends a strong message that ultimately the cause of justice must be served and that bail and not jail should be a guiding principle in the country’s jurisprudence.”
Jesuit Father Irudhaya Jothi, an activist in the northeastern India state of Tripura, also welcomed the decision, saying it brings “a ray of hope on the court and the justice system now.”
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