We urge the police to end all pending investigations and refrain from pursuing the charges against them. Such delays and the threat of criminal charges can have a chilling effect, discouraging others from speaking out on issues affecting food security, community livelihoods, and land rights,’ said Nalini Elumalai, Senior Programme Officer at ARTICLE 19. The farmers have relied on the land for years, cultivating vegetables, fruits, and fish as part of their livelihoods. In 2012, the authorities promised them replacement land if they moved out, which the state government has yet to deliver on. The farmers were still in negotiations with the state when, on 13 October 2023, they were suddenly given an eviction notice.