Celebrating The Life And Contribution Of Justice Hosbet Suresh: Condolence Meeting Organised By Friends And Civil Society
CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTION OF
JUSTICE HOSBET SURESH
(20/7/1929 – 11/06/2020)
A fearless human rights defender, a dear friend of the movements
CONDOLENCE MEETING ORGANISED BY FRIENDS AND CIVIL SOCIETY
15thJune 2020, 6 p.m. onwards on ZOOM (Online meet – details below)
On 11thJune 2020, the civil rights movement in India lost one of its bravest defender and champion of human rights, our beloved Justice Hosbet Suresh, at the age of 91. Justice Suresh’s unwavering commitment to justice and contribution to human rights jurisprudence in the country requires no introduction. Following the tradition of judicial activism like his mentor Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, Justice Suresh displayed resolute courage and conviction towards the rights of the people and social justice. Post his retirement, he was part of several public hearings, fact finding committees, commissions and tribunals on a variety of serious human rights violations against the most marginalized sections of society. While the list is endless and formidable, his name being synonymous with independent investigations through public inquiry process, he led critical inquisitions into the Kaveri Riots, Bombay Riots 1992, forced evictions of slum dwellers in Mumbai in 1995, caste atrocities in Chennai in 2000, 2002 Gujarat genocide, police killings of Dalits in Thambiraparani, shooting of tribals in Devas, Madhya Pradesh, food scarcity and militarisation in Mynamar and many others. Even with his failing health in the last few years, Justice Suresh continued to participate in public hearings, press conferences and was vocal in his support to incarcerated defenders and victims of communal violence.
He was a firm believer in constitutional freedoms and protest advocacy. He was a friend of the movements and a formidable strength to people’s struggles, most comfortable in the grassroots than air-conditioned halls. He has mentored hundreds of human rights defenders, judges, lawyers, and students, and inspired a generation of activists and struggles. He touched upon the lives of all he met, especially the most downtrodden sections of society for whom he lived. But most importantly, inspite of his stature, his humility was unmatched. He was without doubt the most approachable and grounded activist in the legal fraternity, as a result of which there is hardly any progressive movement or civil society group that he has not collaborated with. With the loss of Justice Suresh, there is no doubt that an era of judicial activism has sadly ended.
We offer our deepest condolences to his family, who unflinchingly supported him in his journey. While we are still trying to process this momentous loss, the current situation of restrictions has rendered us unable to even grieve together in person. But this not a loss one can bear alone. We invite all friends, supporters and admirers to join us in this online condolence meeting to pay our tributes to Justice Suresh, a true defender of rights and legal luminary, and to honour his memory.
Date :15thJune 2020
Time : 6 p.m. onwards
JOIN Zoom Meeting here –
Meeting ID : 816 1259 9292
Password : 566303
Co-Organised by :
Centre for Study of Society and Secularism
Citizens for Justice and Peace
Human Rights Law Network
Lawyers Collective
Majlis
People’s Watch
People’s Union for Civil Liberties
All India Network of NGOs and Individuals working with National and Human Rights Institutions
Badayl
Bhavnagar Jilla Gram Bachao Samiti, Mithivirdi
Coastal Action Network, Tamil Nadu
Concerned Citizens for Democracy
Forum Against Oppression of Women
Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan
Habitat and Livelihood Welfare Association
Human Rights Defenders Alert – India
Institute of Human Rights Education
Jan Swasthya Abhiyan – Mumbai
Justice Coalition of Religious, Maharashtra
Lokraj Sangathan
National Alliance of People’s Movements
NCHRO Goa Unit
Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti
Vimochana
Working Group of Human Rights in India
UN (WGHR) and others
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