Ian Stillman
Ian Stillman (1950 – 25 May 2016) was a deaf British aid worker from Reading, Berkshire, England, in the United Kingdom, whose imprisonment and subsequent release from prison in India garnered media attention. Together with his wife Sue, he founded the Nambikkai Foundation.
Stillman's mission was sponsored by the Carey Baptist Church.[1][2]
Stillman attended Crosfields School in Reading and then Leighton Park School.[1]
According to the BBC, Stillman, "a deaf charity worker who has lived in India for nearly 30 years, was arrested (in 2001) after cannabis was found in a taxi he had hired."[3]
Stillman's attorney's claimed that Stillman, who is deaf and well known in India for his charitable work with the deaf, was the victim of "a gross miscarriage of justice."[3] Stephen Jakobi of the advocacy organisation Fair Trials International told the press that "It is the most horrific case I've ever seen of an innocent man being done down by law."[3][1][4][5][6][7]
The United Kingdom Council on Deafness collected tens of thousands of signatures on a petition to the Indian government asking for Stillman's release.[8]
He was released following successful intervention by Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Foreign Secretary.[2][9]
Stillman died on 25 May 2016 in Norfolk, England.[10]
Interview
- "Free at last! Jonathan Stephen interviews Ian Stillman for EN," Evangelical Now, March 2003. [7]
References
- ^ a b c [1] "Imprisoned deaf missionary sent by town church," 4 July 2001, GetSurrey.
- ^ a b [2] "Early day motion 321." 9 Dec 2002, Parliament of the United Kingdom.
- ^ a b c [3] "Fury as deaf charity worker jailed", 25 June 2001, BBC.
- ^ "Praying that Ian will be freed - News - getwokingham - the Wokingham Times". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011."Praying that Ian will be freed", 14 January 2002, Get Wokingham.
- ^ " Concern over health of jailed missionary", 13 June 2002, Get Surrey.
- ^ [4] Archived 12 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine"Christmas with all the family", 16 December 2002, Get Hampshire.
- ^ "Deaf aid worker appeals over drug sentence", 25 June 2001, Paul Peachey, The Independent.
- ^ [5] UK Council on Deafness October 2002 Bulletin.
- ^ Luke Harding [6] "Dream trip that turned into an Indian jail nightmare", 8 January 2003, The Guardian.
- ^ "Obituary: Ian Stillman". British Deaf News. 1 August 2016.