Photo: JCSA

Fr Stan Swamy SJ passed away on July 5, 2021. For 50 years, he worked tirelessly for poor and marginalized communities of India, especially for the recognition of the rights of the Adivasis. Fr Stan was incarcerated for 9 months on unsubstantiated charges of links to Maoist forces. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease and in spite of this, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) special sessions court refused to grant him bail. He was finally transferred to a hospital after contracting COVID-19. Fr Stan’s life and death has inspired a new generation of advocates who continue to fight for truth and justice. They will stand up for the truth, fight for marginalized people and continue to dedicate their lives in the pursuit of a just and equal society. As we remember Fr Stan, let us not forget the 15 other human rights defenders who have been detained for the same reason as Fr Stan and continue to languish in prison.

To learn more, please visit https://canadianjesuitsinternational.ca/stand-with-stan/