PARIS: French film director Valentin Hénault has spoken out about his harrowing experience of being arrested and jailed in India for attending a Dalit march in Uttar Pradesh last October.
Hénault was arrested by police on October 10, 2023, after attending an “Ambedkar’s people’s march” led by peasant women demanding land rights for Dalits. He was accused of violating visa conditions and was taken to Gorakhpur prison, where he was subjected to harsh conditions, including sleeping on the floor with little space to move.
Hénault described the experience as “moral torture” and said he was unsure if he would be held for days or years. Hénault had arrived in India on August 10, 2023, to work on a film about atrocities committed against Dalit women.
A day after his arrest, Hénault was taken to a “parking lot” where a judge signed the documents relating to his arrest following which he was sent to Gorakhpur prison, as per French daily Le Monde. “We slept on the floor, with so little space that it was impossible to turn around at night. The entire floor space was occupied by bodies,” the French daily quoted Hénault as saying while speaking about his jail term. As per the report, he was shifted to a cell meant for mentally unstable individuals. “There was physical abuse to make them stay quiet,” Hénault was quoted as saying by Le Monde.
Meanwhile, Hénault managed to contact French embassy from jail. He was eventually released on bail on November 10, 2023, but a look out notice (LOC) was issued against him, preventing him from leaving India. The LOC against Hénault was not lifted and his passport was with the police till May, when he was finally able to return to France.
Hénault’s arrest and detention have raised concerns about the treatment of foreigners in India and the restrictions on free speech and assembly. His experience has also highlighted the ongoing struggles of the Dalit community in India, who face systemic discrimination and violence.
