Nothing surprising in monitoring Binayak case: EU

New Delhi, Jan 24 (PTI) European Union today said therewas no need to be surprised about the grouping showinginterest in the case relating to rights activist Binayak Sen,sentenced to life imprisonment for sedition, as it takes a lotof interest in human rights defenders.

"The EU takes a lot of care of all human rightsdefenders around the world, whether in India or anywhere elsein the world. So you should not be surprised that we areinterested in the case of Dr Sen," EU Ambassador toIndia Daniele Smadja said.

"In addition, the EU has been following this casesince a couple of years and in fact, we had sent observers inJuly 20008," Smadja said.

After the United Nations, the European Union has toldIndia that it would like to keep a watch on the hearing on theappeal of Binayak Sen in the Chhattisgrah High Court whileexpressing concern over the condition of his detention.

An eight-member team of European Union, which hadreached Raipur yesterday, faced protests from lawyers and ABVPworkers who showed EU representatives black flags and shoutedslogans against them.