London: Amnesty International today described human rights activist Binayak Sen as a prisoner of conscience and flayed his conviction by a Chhatisgarh court, saying it violated international standards of fair trial.
The prison term awarded to Sen has evoked outrage among social activists in India and warned that the politically-motivated charges could enflame tensions in the country’s conflict-hit areas.
The international rights body appealed to the Indian government to revoke the charges against him and set him free immediately.
Sen, along with Naxal ideologue Narayan Sanyal and Kolkata businessman Piyush Guha were yesterday found guilty by a district court of sedition and sentenced to life imprisonment for colluding with Maoists in establish a network to fight the state.
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