Guwahati: Thirty-seven international civil society, Indigenous peoples’ and human rights organisations have urged the Assam government to withdraw the National Security Act (NSA) order against indigenous and land rights activist Pranab Doley and facilitate his immediate release.
In an open letter dated August 18, the organisations also called for the withdrawal of criminal charges against four other activists arrested during protests against a proposed five-star hotel at Inglay Pathar, near Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR).
The signatories described Doley’s detention as a serious attack on Indigenous rights defenders. They said Doley and affected communities had alleged that the hotel project was being pursued without obtaining their “free, prior and informed consent” (FPIC).
“Indigenous environmental and human rights defenders such as Pranab Doley play an essential role in promoting environmental justice, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts over land and natural resources,” the letter said.
The open letter was endorsed by organisations from India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Switzerland, Philippines, Nepal, Kenya, Uganda, Mexico, Thailand, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The groups also questioned the grounds cited for Doley’s detention under the NSA, including references to his international travel and participation in international forums.
They said his participation in forums such as the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights formed part of his rights advocacy.
“Rather than demonstrating criminal conduct, these activities reflect his legitimate efforts to raise awareness” of rights violations faced by local communities, the organisations said.
The organisations also raised concerns over the land proposed for the hotel project. They alleged that 60 bighas of Adivasi-owned agricultural and grazing land had been earmarked for the development and that 45 Adivasi families were “forcibly evicted in 2024”.
The letter also referred to a response from Hyatt to the Business & Human Rights Centre, in which the company said that while certain Hyatt subsidiaries have business relationships with Juniper Hotels, “Hyatt has not entered into any agreement to brand or operate the proposed hotel project” near Kaziranga.
The signatories called for Doley’s immediate release and withdrawal of the NSA order and criminal charges against the other four activists. They also sought an independent inquiry into alleged unlawful detention, procedural violations and excessive use of force.
The organisations further urged authorities to recognise the land rights of affected communities and called on companies and investors linked to the project to clarify their involvement, conduct human rights due diligence and engage with Indigenous communities and rights defenders.
Doley, convener of the Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee, was arrested along with Rajib Pegu, Brijit Kutum, Amit Nag and Bhaskar Saikia following protests on June 29.
The five were granted bail by the Golaghat Sessions Court on July 29 after nearly three weeks in jail. However, the Assam government invoked Section 3(2) of the NSA against Doley the following day, allowing his detention to continue.