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{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kartam Joga
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = 
| birth_place =
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| nationality = [[India]]n
| other_names =
| known_for = 2010 arrest
| occupation =
| party = [[Communist Party of India (Maoist)]]
}}

'''Kartam Joga''' is an [[adivasi]] [[India]]n political activist of the banned<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.zeenews.com/news541260.html|title=Centre bans CPI (Maoist), declares it a terror organisation|date=2009-06-22|publisher=Zee News}}</ref> [[Communist Party of India (Maoist)]] (CPI (Maoist)). He was imprisoned in [[Chhattisgarh]] on suspicion of participating in the [[Tarmetla ambush]] in which 75 members of the [[Central Reserve Police Force]] were killed by CPI (Maoist) forces.<ref name="Hindu">{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article1140070.ece?mstac=0 |title=Binayak Sen rally held in Raipur |date=30 January 2011 |work=The Hindu |accessdate=17 May 2011}}</ref> [[Amnesty International]] named him a [[prisoner of conscience]] and described the charges against him as "fabricated".<ref name="AI">{{cite web |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa20/031/2010/en/ |title=DOCUMENT — INDIA: CHHATTISGARH AUTHORITIES MUST IMMEDIATELY RELEASE PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE KARTAM JOGA |date=1 November 2010|publisher=Amnesty International |accessdate=17 May 2011}}</ref> He was acquitted at his trial for lack of evidence.<ref name=IE />

==Activism==
Amnesty International states that in 2005, Joga was attacked by the [[Salwa Judum]], a militia operating against armed [[Maoist]] groups.<ref name="AI"/> The group states that Adivasis (Indian [[aboriginal people]]s) like Joga are particular targets for the Salwa Judum, and Joga dedicated himself to exposing alleged human rights abuses against them.<ref name="AI"/>

In 2007, Joga joined three other activists in petitioning India’s [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]] regarding human rights violations in Chhattisgargh, charging that the Salwa Judum had committed numerous human rights violations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2008-04-17/news/27736741_1_salwa-judum-naxal-violence-rights-violations |title=Centre realises Salwa Judum’s importance |date=17 April 2008|work=The Times of India |accessdate=17 May 2011}}</ref> The petition further argued that the Salwa Judum was sponsored and supplied by state security forces.<ref name="Hindu"/> In April 2008, the Court directed India’s [[National Human Rights Commission]] to investigate the charges; an NHRC report partially confirmed them eight months later, and Chhattisgarh authorities were ordered to help disband the Salwa Judum and to compensate the victims.<ref name="AI"/>

==Arrest==
On 6 April 2010, seventy-five troops, primarily from the [[Central Reserve Police Force]], were killed by Naxalite rebels in Chhattisgarh's [[Dantewada district]].<ref name="TI">{{cite web |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-06/india/28135177_1_crpf-personnel-crpf-men-dantewada-superintendent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811055436/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-06/india/28135177_1_crpf-personnel-crpf-men-dantewada-superintendent |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2011 |title=75 security personnel killed in Chhattisgarh Maoist ambush |date=6 April 2010|work=[[The Times of India]] |accessdate=17 May 2011}}</ref> ''[[The Hindu]]'' described the incident as the "worst-ever [[Naxalite]] attack on the Central paramilitary force personnel".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article411114.ece |title=Dantewada massacre: Rammohan submits report |date=27 April 2010|work=The Hindu |accessdate=17 May 2011}}</ref> On 14 September, Joga was arrested in [[Dantewada]] and charged with involvement in the crime.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/article673781.ece |title=Supreme Court petitioner arrested in Chhattisgarh |author=Aman Seithi |date=17 September 2010 |work=The Hindu |accessdate=17 May 2011}}</ref> He was 40 years old at the time of his arrest.<ref name="AI"/>

Amnesty International protested his arrest, arguing that Joga's philosophy had always been nonviolent and alleging that he had been detained in retaliation for his Supreme Court petition.<ref name="AI"/> AI named him a [[prisoner of conscience]] and called for his immediate release.<ref name="AI"/> A spokesman for the CPI (Maoist), described his arrest as "part of a sinister design".<ref name="Hindu2"/>

Police responded that eyewitnesses had identified Joga at the scene; however, on 28 September, ''The Hindu'' reported that some of the witnesses of the police list claimed they had never even spoken with investigating officers.<ref name="Hindu2">{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article799338.ece?service=mobile |title=Tarmetla: ‘eyewitnesses' accuse police of making up statements |author=Aman Sethi |date=28 September 2010 |work=The Hindu |accessdate=17 May 2011}}</ref> The article expressed skepticism of the police account, noting "for Mr. Joga to be identified, witnesses would have had to spot him at 300 metres, among 300 identically dressed Maoist fighters engaged in a pitched battle."<ref name="Hindu2"/> Joga's son also supported his father's innocence, stating that his father was at home {{Convert|100|km}} away at the time of the attack.<ref name="Hindu2"/>

Joga was acquitted along with nine other accused on 9 January 2013; judge Anita Deharia stated that the prosecution had been unable to provide evidence of guilt. Of the prosecution's 43 witnesses, almost all turned again it, leading the prosecutor to state to reporters, "the prosecution can’t do much if witnesses turn hostile."<ref name=IE>{{cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Dantewada-massacre--All-accused-walk-free/1056533/ |title=Dantewada massacre: All accused walk free |date=9 January 2013 |work=Indian Express |accessdate=9 January 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Binayak Sen]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joga, Karam}}
[[Category:Amnesty International prisoners of conscience held by India]]
[[Category:Indian civil rights activists]]
[[Category:Communist Party of India (Maoist) politicians]]
[[Category:Indian prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Adivasi activists]]

Kartam Joga - Revision history

>GreenC bot at 16:09, 16 April 2021