Amnesty Intl condemns arrest of UoH students

Hyderabad: The Amnesty International India has condemned the police crackdown on protesting University of Hyderabad (UoH) students and faculty and demanded their immediate release.

“There should be an independent investigation into allegations of excessive use of force by the police. On March 22, the Telangana police assaulted protesting students in the UoH campus. Students were protesting against the return of the vice-chancellor of the university whom they hold responsible for the suicide of a Dalit Student, Rohit Vemula, in January 2016,” said Aakar Patel, Executive Director at Amnesty International India.

“Violence against protesting students in a university cannot under any circumstance be justified. Allegations of sexual violence and threats by the police to women students must be investigated and those suspected of being responsible must be prosecuted,” said Aakar Patel. “Any protesters who can legitimately be charged for acts of violence or vandalism must be prosecuted and tried in proceedings which meet international fair trial standards.”

“Students have a right to protest. Denying students electricity, water and food merely because they are protesting is unacceptable,” said Aakar Patel. (INN)