Talks by Devangina Kalita and Natasha Narwal: “The Injustice of Law: UAPA, Prisons and The Criminal Justice System”

Natasha and Devangana will take us through their journey of being charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) elaborating on how this draconian law which stands in violation of many fundamental constitutional values, has become an instrument for suppressing dissent by those in power. They will look at the history of the use of such ‘exceptional laws’ and how they contribute to enhancing the power of authoritarian regimes. Drawing on their experiences of incarceration, they will also share their reflections on the urgent need for thinking politically about prisons — how our criminal justice system disproportionately incarcerates the most marginalised communities in our country, making access to justice contingent on one’s caste-class-gender locations.

This event is organized by Sthayi (ICTS), Breaking the silence (IISc), and supported by Academics for Democratic Rights (www.acdr.in) and the India Academic Freedom Network.