Bilkis Bano Gangrape Case: Eminent Citizens Urge Supreme Court to Revoke Remission of Sentences of 11 Life Convicts 

Expressing shock at the release of 11 men convicted of gangrape and murder in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gang-rape case, over 6,000 eminent citizens from across India wrote a letter to the Supreme Court against the remission of sentences by the Gujarat government. 

 “The remission of sentences for the 11 men convicted of gang-rape and mass murder will have a chilling effect on every rape victim who is told to ‘trust the system’, ‘seek justice’, and ‘have faith',” the join statement read.

The letter was signed by activists Subhashini Ali, Shabnam Hashmi, Zafarul-Islam Khan, Syeda Hameed, Roop Rekha, Devaki Jain, Uma Chakravarti, Kavita Krishnan, Maimoona Mollah, Hasina Khan, Rachana Mudraboyina among others.  

The civil rights groups include All India Progressive Women’s Association, Uttarakhand Mahila Manch, Saheli Women’s Resource Centre, Gamana Mahila Samuha, Bebaak Collective, Forum Against Oppression of Women, Pragatisheel Mahila Manch, Parcham Collective, Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan, Amoomat Society, WomComMatters, Centre for Struggling Women and Sahiyar.

The signatories remarked that early release of these convicted rapists only strengthens the impunity of all men who commit similar rape and other acts of violence against women. 

“'We demand that women’s faith in justice be restored. We demand the remission of sentences for these 11 convicts be immediately revoked and they be sent back to prison to serve the remainder of their life terms,” statement from the eminent citizen added.

Many women from organisations including Centre for Struggling Women & AIDWA staged a protest at #JantarMantarDelhi against the conviction of 11 accused in the #BilkisBano rape and murder case.@cswdelhi pic.twitter.com/YbxG5muz3u

— BOOM Live (@boomlive_in) August 18, 2022

Earlier on Friday, several voluntary organisations staged a protest against the remission of sentences of 11 convicts and demanded that the culprits of Bilkis Bano case were sent back to prison. 

Also Read: Kalvakuntla Kavitha Writes to CJI on Release of Rape Convicts in Bilkis Bano Case

Several politicians including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and TRS MLC Kavitha have criticised the remission of sentences by the Gujarat government. TRS leader Kavitha has even written a letter to the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and requested him to intervene in the matter so that the “decision of the release of the 11 convicts is withdrawn immediately.”