Amnesty International India on Friday said the government must protect human rights lawyers from threats, harassment and intimidation by the police and others in Chhattisgarh. In a statement, the non-government organisation said, "Isha Khandelwal and Shalini Gera, members of the Jagdalpur Legal Aid Group, say they are being evicted from their home and office in Jagdalpur following police pressure on their landlord. They have faced numerous instances of harassment which appear to be intended to prevent them from carrying on their work."
JagLAG provides free legal assistance to Adivasis who are accused of being part of Maoist armed groups in the state. Makepeace Sitlhou, a campaigner at Amnesty International India, said that the government must recognise the crucial role that human rights lawyers play in upholding the rule of law. JagLAG also provided legal assistance to Malini Subramaniam, a Scroll.in contributor who was forced to leave Chhattisgarh after constant harassment by local police over the last one month.
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