{{Infobox person | name = Mihir Desai | image = <!-- just the filename, without the File: or Image: prefix or enclosing [[brackets]] --> | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Birth-date and age|Month DD, YYYY}} --> | birth_place = | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|Month DD, YYYY|Month DD, YYYY}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | other_names = | known_for = Human rights activism | occupation = Lawyer }} '''Mihir Desai''' is a human rights lawyer<ref>{{cite web|last1=Manish|first1=(13 February 2015)|title=Be true to the cause, use litigation to support movements and advance the law|url=http://blog.mylaw.net/be-true-to-the-cause-and-use-litigation-to-support-movements-and-advance-the-law/|website=myLaw.net|access-date=30 November 2015}}</ref> in cases of mass murders and riots,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Desai|first1=Darshan|title=Will Zakia Jafri's fresh plea for justice take Gujarat riot investigations to Modi's doorstep?|url=http://scroll.in/article/749408/will-zakia-jafris-fresh-plea-for-justice-take-gujarat-riot-investigations-to-modis-doorstep|access-date=2 December 2015|work=Scroll.in|date=20 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Iyer|first1=Lakshmi|title=Modi's hour of trial - Best Bakery case: SC verdict before Gujarat polls puts Narendra Modi in a tight spot|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/states/story/20040426-best-bakery-case-sc-verdict-before-gujarat-polls-puts-narendra-modi-in-a-tight-spot-790191-2004-04-25|access-date=30 November 2015|work=India Today|date=26 April 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tussle over prosecutor in Best Bakery retrial|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040608/asp/nation/story_3344978.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050102110016/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040608/asp/nation/story_3344978.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 2, 2005|access-date=1 December 2015|work=The Telegraph, Calcutta|date=8 June 2004}}</ref> fake encounter and custodial deaths by the police,<ref>{{cite news|title=Amit Shah was in touch with police officers: lawyer|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/amit-shah-was-in-touch-with-police-officers-lawyer/story-4dcf3THbyXWlIhHDDGWSyI.html|access-date=2 December 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=17 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Punwani|first1=Jyoti|title=State Govt Refuses to Appoint Special PP in Khwaja Yunus Case|url=http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/crime/State-govt-refuses-to-appoint-special-PP-for-Khwaja-Yunus-case/articleshow/24681484.cms|access-date=30 November 2015|work=Mumbai Mirror|date=25 October 2013}}</ref> [[police brutality]], freedom of speech and journalists,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Deshpande|first1=Vinaya|title=Relief for ex-editor of Urdu daily|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/govt-restrained-from-taking-action-against-awadhnama-editor/article6874832.ece|access-date=1 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=10 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Deshpande|first1=Swati|title=Mere criticism of govt is not sedition: HC|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mere-criticism-of-govt-is-not-sedition-HC/articleshow/46599584.cms|access-date=1 December 2015|work=The Times of India|date=17 March 2015}}</ref> political activists and prisoners of conscience,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Deshpande|first1=Swati|title=TISS activist attack probe handed to CID|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/TISS-activist-attack-probe-handed-to-CID/articleshow/5129060.cms|access-date=1 December 2015|work=The Times of India|date=16 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Kumar|first1=Sunaina|title=The thin line between dissent and rebellion: Why is a radical Dalit cultural group and its members being persecuted in Maharashtra?|url=http://www.tehelka.com/2013/04/the-thin-line-between-dissent-and-rebellion/|access-date=1 December 2015|work=Tehelka|date=20 April 2013}}</ref> excesses by the state,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Khan|first1=Aamir|title=Plea in HC: 'Police will enter people's homes, restaurants, ask what are you eating?'|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/police-will-enter-peoples-homes-restaurants-ask-what-are-you-eating/|access-date=1 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=24 April 2015}}</ref> mass disappearances and deaths and genocide probes.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ali|first1=Mudasir|title=People's Tribunal to Probe Rights Abuse|url=http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/news/people-s-tribunal-to-probe-rights-abuse/31668.html|access-date=2 December 2015|work=Greater Kashmir|date=6 April 2008}}</ref> A senior counsel, he has been practicing criminal matters in [[Bombay High Court]], [[Mumbai]] and the [[Supreme Court of India]].
==Family== Mihir Desai is the son of [[Neera Desai]], a leading advocate of Women's Rights in India, and Dr. [[Akshay Ramanlal Desai|A.R. Desai]], one of India's pioneering Marxian sociologists.
==Career==
Desai is the son of [[Neera Desai]], (1925-2009), a leading advocate of Women's rights from a middle-class Gujarati family.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sacw.net/article1035.html |title=Neera Desai (1925-2009): Pioneer of Women's Studies in India |author=Vibhuti Patel Monday |work=The Economic and Political Weekly |date=July 11, 2009 |access-date=2012-04-21}}</ref> As a child he traveled with his mother to Rome and to the United States, where she had a one-year teaching assignment. His uncle ran a firm of solicitors.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iiav.nl/ezines//IAV_607219/IAV_607219_2009_18.pdf#page=7 |title=I Called Her Ma |author=Mihir Desai |work=SPARROW newsletter |date=September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304190936/http://www.iiav.nl/ezines//IAV_607219/IAV_607219_2009_18.pdf#page=7 |access-date=2012-12-02|archive-date=2016-03-04 }}</ref> Desai is a co-founder of the [[Indian People's Tribunal]] (IPT) and the [[Human Rights Law Network]], and is a former director of the India Center for Human Rights and Law.<ref name=UCalBerk/> He was co-founder with lawyer [[Colin Gonsalves]] of the human rights magazine ''Combat Law''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.combatlaw.org/?page_id=2 |title=About |work=Combat Law |access-date=2012-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120428050935/http://www.combatlaw.org/?page_id=2 |archive-date=2012-04-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Desai addresses subjects that include illegal acts by the authorities, police brutality and sexual assault. He has assisted survivors of the 2002 Gujarat massacre. He was co-editor of the book ''Women and Law'' (1999).<ref name=UCalBerk/> He is an invited member of the India Regional Team of the "Promoting Pluralism Knowledge Programme".<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.hivos.net/Hivos-Knowledge-Programme/Themes/Promoting-Pluralism/Topics/Members-of-the-India-Regional-Team |title = Members of the India Regional Team |publisher = Hivos Knowledge Programme |access-date = 2012-04-21 }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
==Sample cases==
In 2003 Desai was assisting the [[Asian Human Rights Commission]] in their fight on behalf of [[Adivasi]] people to remain on land claimed by the Maharashtra State Farming Corporation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/UP-34-2003 |title=UPDATE (INDIA): Landless people stand firm against continuing government attacks |publisher=Asian Human Rights Commission |date=September 8, 2003 |access-date=2012-04-21}}</ref> Desai was co-convenor with [[Angana P. Chatterji]] of an IPT team that investigated communal violence in [[Orissa, India|Orissa]] over a 20-month period in 2005/2006 and co-editor of the report that presented the findings.<ref> {{cite journal |url=http://www.radianceweekly.com/38/80/fascism-and-muslim-today/2006-10-22/peoples-tribunal/story-detail/iptco-in-depth-report-on-communalism-in-orissa.html |journal=Radiance Viewsweekly |first1=Angana |last1=Chatterji |first2=Mihir |last2=Desai |title=IPTCO In-depth Report on Communalism in Orissa |year=2006 |access-date=2012-04-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730081329/http://www.radianceweekly.com/38/80/fascism-and-muslim-today/2006-10-22/peoples-tribunal/story-detail/iptco-in-depth-report-on-communalism-in-orissa.html |archive-date=2012-07-30 |url-status=dead }} </ref> Desai was legal counsel to the [[International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Kashmir]], and co-signatory to a February 2009 letter to [[Omar Abdullah]], Chief Minister of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], that requested action to address the abuses the tribunal had found.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sacw.net/article647.html |work=South Asia Citizens Web |title=Kashmir Tribunal Memorandum to CM Omar Abdullah |author=[[Angana Chatterji]], [[Gautam Navlakha]], Khurram Parvez, Mihir Desai, [[Parvez Imroz]], Zahir-Ud-Din |date=13 February 2009 |access-date=2012-04-21}}</ref>
In April 2012 Mihir Desai won an unusually large award to the mother of a 2002 bomb blast suspect who had died in custody. He also solved the case of most dangerous Gangster Sukha Kahlon. [[Sukha Kahlon]] was charged 8 murder case. Chair of Justice announced 4 year sentence to Gangster Sukha Kahlon alias Sharp Shooter from Jalandhar, his right hand Anand Dutta alias King Khalifa Sharp Shooter from Amritsar and his left hand Preet alias Preet Phagwara from Chandigarh, in the crime of Arm act, Murder, Money Laundering, Kidnapping and in more crime. But later they all get free from this case. These notorious Gangsters has their name in the top 10 Gangsters of Punjab. Even some of Gangster [[Sukha Kahlon]]'s friends have not any FIR or case in any Police department, as police faced fear of their own murder.
Four police officers had been charged, and the government was to recover the money from these officers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/dead-terror-suspect-gets-rs-20-lakh-compensation/247546-3.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126065947/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/dead-terror-suspect-gets-rs-20-lakh-compensation/247546-3.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 26, 2013 |work=IBN Live |date=Apr 10, 2012 |title=Dead terror suspect gets Rs 20 lakh compensation |access-date=2012-04-21}}</ref> The government refused a plea to prosecute ten other officers who had allegedly been involved.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/custody-death-compensation-spikes-to-rs-20l-but-killers-roam-free/934988/0 |title=Death compensation spikes to Rs 20L, but 'killers' roam free |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=Apr 10, 2012 |access-date=2012-04-21}}</ref>
==Arrest== On 4 February 2020, Mihir Desai was arrested along with 16 persons for alleged unlawful assembly in connection with the protest at the [[Gateway of India]] against the violence at [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]]. All of them were released on bail after arrest on personal bonds.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/feb/05/17-including-senior-lawyer-arrested-for-gateway-of-india-protest-against-violence-at-jnu-2099498.html|title=17 including senior lawyer arrested for Gateway of India protest against violence at JNU}}</ref>
==Bibliography== *{{cite book |title=Women and the Law, Volume 2 |author=Christine Chorine, Mihir Desai, [[Colin Gonsalves]] |publisher=Socio-Legal Information Centre |year=1999 |location=Bombay}} *{{cite book |title=Leading Cases on Prisoner's Rights |author1=Colin Gonsalves |author2=Mihir Desai |author3=Jane Cox |publisher=Legal Resource Centre, Yuva-Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action |location=Bombay |pages=262}} *{{cite book |title=Communalism in Orissa: Report of the Indian People's Tribunal on Environment and Human Rights |author=[[Angana P. Chatterji]], Mihir Desai |publisher=Indian People's Tribunal on Environment and Human Rights |year=2006 |isbn=818947913X}}
==References== <references>
<ref name=UCalBerk>{{cite web |url = http://nonprofit.haas.berkeley.edu/new/ac-research.html |title = Armed Conflict in India: Working Group Members |publisher = University of California, Berkeley – Haas School of Business |access-date = 2012-04-21 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120425051038/http://nonprofit.haas.berkeley.edu/New/ac-research.html |archive-date = 2012-04-25 }}</ref>
</references>
==External links== *{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJBiel1wB1A |title=Sedition -- A Brief History (India) |author=Mihir Desai |website=[[YouTube]] |date=May 2011 |access-date=2012-04-21}} (Video of Desai speaking on the subject of Sedition)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Desai, Mihir}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century Indian lawyers]] [[Category:Indian human rights activists]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:21st-century Indian lawyers]] [[Category:Indian civil rights activists]] [[Category:Human rights lawyers]] [[Category:Indian magazine founders]]