To mark the International Day of Victims of Torture, on 26 June, Amnesty International in India organized street performances at various sites in Delhi. The play Bandhi! (Prisoner) is about how prisoners are treated in jails and the oppression, in the form of torture, both physical and mental, they have to go through.

Bandhi! picks up the issue of the state’s response to political prisoners, peaceful protesters in the name of national security. It also touches upon the critical issue of racial profiling in India where minorities face the brunt of their religious affiliations and are often labeled as “terrorists”. The play refers to various instances of torture in India and around- Dr. Binayak Sen, Guantanamo Bay prison, China’s Human rights violations, Bhopal Gas Tragedy survivors’ protests, death penalty and the state of detention centres. The play also takes a satirical stand on the role of media in sensationalizing news.

In addition to street performances, activists in India organized the conference ‘Counter Terror with Justice: No torture. Policy implications for India’. The meeting was well attended by people from diverse backgrounds - security/intelligence personnels, politicians, academicians, diplomats, activists, lawyers etc.