A campaign to free a charity worker imprisoned in India has scored a success for the York Evening Press.

The paper fought for the release of Ian Stillman and generated huge public pressure, including a 5,400-name petition signed by readers and staff at the newspaper.

Human rights lawyer Stephan Jakobi, who took on Ian’s case, said: “Evening Press readers can feel extremely proud of themselves.

“What has led to diplomatic action is the pressure from the public and their demanding that their MPs do something.”

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw finally stepped in earlier this month to talk to the family of Ian, who is deaf, diabetic and disabled.

He had worked with the deaf in India for 27 years but was jailed on what many agreed were trumped up charges.

Ian was arrested in August 2000 and sentenced to ten years for possession of cannabis.

The Press launched its campaign when it found out the Indian authorities refused to accept that he was deaf. That left him without a sign language interpreter at his trial, which effectively excluded him from the proceedings. The trial was described as the “worst miscarriage of justice” ever seen by the Fair Trials Abroad organisation.

The Indian government agreed to grant him clemency because of ill-health. He is not allowed to remain in India and is likely to be home by the end of the week.

Ian’s father Roy said: “We owe the Evening Press and its readers. It has been an amazing effort and we are very, very grateful.”

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