KOZHIKODE: Thwaha Fasal and Allan Shuaib, who were imprisoned under the controversial Pantheerankavu Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) case, have launched a campaign to expose human rights violations in Kerala’s prison system.
Drawing from their own experiences during their incarceration period, the duo aims to highlight the mistreatment of prisoners, including the poor living conditions, a lack of legal representation, and frequent violations of the prisoners’ rights.
Both Thwaha and Allan, who spent a significant time in jail after being charged under the UAPA, intend to use their platform to advocate for comprehensive prison reforms.
Their research project, which was delayed due to the ongoing legal proceedings and their academic commitments, prompted them to start the blog where they are compiling testimonies, documents, and personal accounts of prisoners.
“Two years ago, we decided to conduct a study on human rights violations related to prisons and the prison system. Unfortunately, our research faced delays due to our trial and academic responsibilities. However, we’ve now gathered various documents that provide insight into the serious concerns within Kerala’s jails,” said Allan.
He shared that many former prisoners have recounted traumatic experiences of mistreatment and abuse, which will form a key part of their study.
The duo has already started sharing their findings through the Prison Rights Monitoring Project (Kerala), where they have set up a blog to compile literature, personal statements, and articles to raise public awareness.
Allan said ensuring democratic values in prison management is crucial to maintaining the integrity of the legal system, and public involvement is necessary to achieve a change.
Thwaha, who spent over 20 months in prison as part of the Pantheerankavu UAPA case, reiterated the importance of the project. He recounted witnessing multiple incidents of abuse and rights violations, including one instance where a prisoner, after raising concerns about the quality of food, was brutally beaten and denied medical attention.
“This is just one experience among thousands,” Thwaha said, adding that the perception of jails as places of rehabilitation with employment and food is far from reality.