MEP ANGRY AT INDIAN COURT'S PREJUDICE AGAINST DISABLED PEOPLE
May 8, 2002 12:00 AM
Liz Lynne, Liberal Democrat MEP and Vice-President of the European Parliament Disability Intergroup, is asking the EU, the UN and the British Government to intervene in the case of Ian Stillman, the disabled British charity worker who was jailed in India on drugs charges.
Liz's move follows the Indian Supreme Court's refusal this week to grant Mr Stillman leave to appeal against the sentence.
Speaking in Brussels today, Liz Lynne said "I have written to Jack Straw and also to Chris Patten, the European Commissioner for External Relations, Mr Javier Solana, who is Secretary General of the Council of the EU and Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, asking them all to put pressure on the Indian authorities regarding this matter. I have also written to the Indian authorities myself.
"The presiding Judge made prejudicial remarks linking disabled people to drug smuggling in the course of the hearing that would have led to instant dismissal in most civilised societies. He also did not accept the medical evidence that Ian Stillman is deaf. Since when has it been up to judges to make clinical decisions?
The treatment of Ian Stillman in this case leads me to believe that the Indian authorities are prejudiced against disabled people and that is an utter disgrace in the largest democracy in the world.
Note to Editors: Liz Lynne chaired a Press Conference on the Ian Stillman case in the European Parliament at Strasbourg in January, highlighting the fact that he was not allowed sign language interpretation at the trial. She was accompanied by Elspeth Dugdale, Mr Stillman's sister, and Stephen Jakobi from Fair Trials Abroad. Ian Stillman was arrested in August 2000 for allegedly possessing 20kg of cannabis and was convicted in June 2001. He has always maintained his innocence. 24 years ago Mr Stillman set up the Nambikkai Foundation, an organisation that provides education and training to deaf people in northern Himchal Pradesh state. The judge hearing the request for appeal this week said it was widely known that deaf and disabled people are quite likely to be involved in drug trafficking and smuggling. Mr Stillman is known to require specialist medical treatment unavailable even in Himachal Pradesh state, let alone in jail. Although Ian Stillman is deaf he can speak English, having learned the throat vibration method when he was a child.
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