Jailed doctor receives support for his release

Jailed doctor Binayak Sen has received support from 22 Nobel Laureates to be released from prison allowing him to collect the human rights award which he was recently awarded.

The appeal from the Nobel Laureates was sent to the president of India, the prime minister, law minister and the chief minister of Chhattisgarth and has come as Dr Sen is set to complete a year in jail, reports the Times of India.

In the letter it is claimed they expressed "grave concern that Dr Sen appears to be incarcerated solely for peacefully exercising his fundamental right, in contravention of Articles 19 (freedom of opinion and expression) and 22 (freedom of association) of the international covenant on civil and political."

Dr Sen allegedly passed notes from an inmate he was treating in jail to someone outside which led to him being accused of terrorism or conspiracy to wage war against the government.

The Global Health Council recently awarded Dr Sen the Jonathan Mann Award for Health and Human Rights, which he is due to be presented with in Washington on May 29th.

He was awarded for his work improving the health care and living conditions of very poor tribal regions in central India.