The civil rights movement in India has emerged as an autonomous voice in defense of civil liberties and democratic rights of our people. The Peoples Union for Democratic Rights, Delhi, is one such organisation. It came into existence in 1977 as the Delhi unit of a larger national forum, PUCLDR, and became PUDR on 1 February, 1981.

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Latest Publications
37th Annual Ramanadham Memoria Lecture 2022: Digitization, Science and Criminal Investigation: Concerns for Democratic Rights
Every year PUDR organizes a Dr Ramanadham memorial lecture on a topic of contemporary interest. Last year it was Urban Planning and Democratic Rights. The year before that it was on Judiciary and Democratic Rights. In 2008 the topic of the 22nd Ramanadham memorial...
Poster Campaign: Repeal UAPA! Release the Bhima Koregaon undertrials!
As part of its campaign for the release of activists incarcerated in the Bhima Koregaon case, PUDR has created posters in English and Hindi which portray the draconian features of UAPA along with portraits of the activists. Posters in English Posters in Hindi
पोस्टर अभियान। यूएपीए रद्द करो। भीमा कोरेगांव के विचाराधीन कैदियों को रिहा करो!
Poster campaign. Cancel UAPA. Release the undertrial prisoners of Bhima Koregaon!
Another ‘Natural’ Death in Tihar: Custodial Death of Jishan and its aftermath
On 15 February 2022, 19 year old Jishan, an undertrial arrested for a petty theft in November 202, died in judicial custody of Delhi’s Tihar Jail. This report is based on PUDR investigation of this incident and its aftermath. The PUDR team spoke to the family and...
Behind the veil of algorithms: Invisible workers
A report on workers in 'Gig' Economy. The growth of the ‘gig’ economy and ‘gig workers’ in India is a phenomenon of the last decade or so. Even though this may not be the fastest growing category of workers, still names like Swiggy, Zomato, Ola, Uber or Urban Company...
Latest Press Statements
Launch of PUDR report “In the wake of Nuh: A report on state repression
On July 22, 2024, the fourth annual Brajmandal Abhishek Yatra passed peacefully through the Nuh district in Haryana. Last year, the same yatra was characterised by violence, followed by state repression that casts a shadow till today. In a press conference on July 29,...
पीयूडीआर की रिपोर्ट “नूह में संप्रदायिक हिंसा और पुलिस दमन: एक जाँच रिपोर्ट” का विमोचन
22 जुलाई, 2024 को, हरियाणा के नूह जिले से चौथी वार्षिक ब्रजमंडल अभिषेक यात्रा शांतिपूर्ण तरीके से गुजरी। पिछले साल, इसी यात्रा में हिंसा हुई थी, जिसके बाद राज्य दमन हुआ था, जिसकी छाया आज भी बनी हुई है। 29 जुलाई, 2024 एक प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस में, पीपुल्स यूनियन फॉर...
Mere words cannot be criminalized in a democracy
On June 14, 2024 Delhi’s Lieutenant-Governor (LG) sanctioned prosecution against Arundhati Roy and Sheikh Showkat Hussain under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) for their speeches at an event titled ‘Azadi - The Only Way’ organised...
Gautam Navlakha’s letter on release from custody
I wish to thank the Supreme Court for upholding the bail granted to me by the Bombay High Court. It proved to be a long wait but well worth it. Although happy for myself, I am saddened that the fate of scores of fellow dissidents implicated in a variety of cases,...
हिरासत से रिहा होने पर गौतम नवलखा का पत्र
विचाराधीन कैदियों के परिवार संभवतः अधिक कष्ट में रहते हैं क्योंकि उनके प्रिय जेल में हैं और इससे उनकी ज़िन्दगी बहुत गहरा प्रभाव पड़ता है. यह एक ऐसा यथार्थ है जिसे शायद ही रेखांकित किया जाता है और इसका समाधान तो दुर्लभ ही होता है. एक 'जनतांत्रिक अधिकार कार्यकर्ता' होने...