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About Us
Since 2017, we have been engaging with the correctional homes of Assam to mitigate gaps in the overburdened legal aid system of Assam through direct intervention and research to drive policy reforms. Pursuing the mandate of Article 39A of the Constitution of India, we provide legal services to the incarcerated individuals, ensuring their right to appeal is honoured in higher forums including the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. We consistently endeavour to hone capacity at the grassroots by facilitating training workshops for legal aid providers and para legal volunteers. Additionally, we work closely with the Judiciary and policy makers, to address systemic deficiencies including inadequate prison management and infrastructure, social integration, and the specific needs of women and children.
Vision Of Success
Some of our work that has contributed to the success are
Since 2017, Studio Nilima has made regular visits to the correctional homes across Assam’s Brahmaputra valley and facilitated legal rights awareness campaigns for
697 residents
More than 100
empanelled legal aid counsels and
56 officers
have taken part in training workshops ensuring demonstrable improvements in legal representation in all
31 prisons in the state
Our work has resulted in creation of mechanisms that ensure expeditious disposal of jail appeals and targeted training of legal aid counsels. We have secured the release of
250 inmates across Assam, till date
Take a look at our
Success as a Timeline
Reena Hazarika Vs. State of Assam, a matter that was pursued by Studio Nilima is one of the leading authorities, at present, in the Indian criminal jurisprudence. It set a precedent wherein Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure was considered as a constitutional right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and made it incumbent on the Courts to adequately consider the defence of the accused under section 313 Cr. P.C.
Pursued a series of habeas corpus petitions before the Gauhati High Court challenging the detention of declared foreign nationals in prisons. [Santanu Borthakur vs. Union of India, W.P (Crl.) 2/2020, etc.]
Filed a Public Interest Litigation which resulted in a direction for establishment of Mental Health Review Boards across all districts of Assam, and judicial review of several unnatural deaths reported across prisons, etc.
Aaxa, the poetry and music initiative of Studio Nilima has led to perceptible cultural shifts in prisons with greater trust between prison officials and inmates.
Many of our interventions have resulted in policy reforms. They span strategic litigation concerning juveniles in prisons, custodial deaths, inadequate health infrastructure, designation of prisons as detention centres. They have resulted in policies for reunification of separated families of alleged non-citizens, creation of a detention manual, large scale scrutiny of living conditions of inmates, reduction of harsh bail conditions for undertrial inmates, creation of the Under-Trial Review Committees to assess the cases of under trial prisoners, among others.
Based on our representation on mentally ill inmates, in 2020, the Guwahati High Court framed wide ranging issues bringing the prison systems of the four States of Northeast within its judicial scrutiny. Our work has found recognition in neighbouring states with invitations to engage with prisons in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
Engagement with the Parliamentary Committee for prison reforms.