Gender: Female

Current Location: Bastar

Perpetrator: India

Religion or Belief: Adivasi

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: March/9/2021

Date of Release: January/5/2023

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Criticizing Religious Freedom Conditions Human Rights Work for Religious Communities Preserving Religious Sites & Sacred Lands Women’s Rights

Nature of Charges: Arms Trafficking & Illicit Use of Weapons Illegal Assembly Murder & Attempted Murder Public Disorder Terrorism

Hidme Markam

Extra Bio Info:

Hidme Markam was detained for her advocacy work to protect religious sites.

On March 9, 2021, authorities arrested Markam, an Adivasi Indigenous activist known for criticizing state violence against Adivasi communities and opposing mining projects on an important Adivasi religious site, at a two-day conference about women's issues in the region. Police referred to Markam as a "Maoist" and implicated her in several first information reports (FIR) stretching back to 2016 involving deadly violence, despite the FIRs not being made out against her and her constant engagement with state officials over the years.

Markam is reportedly charged with rioting (Sec. 147 IPC), rioting with a deadly weapon (Sec. 148 IPC), unlawful assembly (Sec. 149 IPC), murder (Sec. 302 IPC), attempted murder (Sec. 307 IPC), membership and support of a terrorist organization (Sec. 13, 23, 38(2), and 39(2) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)), "causing explosion likely to endanger life or property" (Sec. 3 Explosive Substances Act, 1908), "attempting to cause explosion, or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property (Sec. 4 Explosive Substances Act, 1908), and "making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances" (Sec. 5 Explosive Substances Act, 1908).

In April 2021, seven UN human rights rapporteurs sent a letter to the Indian government, asking for more information about Markam's arrest and expressing concerns about the use of anti-terrorism charges against her and state-efforts to protect Adivasi women human rights defenders. 

On January 5, 2023, Markam was released from jail after courts reportedly acquitted her in four cases and granted her bail in one.

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