THE demand for deaf charity worker Ian Stillman to be released from an Indian jail has won support from more than 4,000 Evening Press readers.

Petitions are still being signed by North and East Yorkshire residents concerned that the 51-year-old, whose elderly parents live in Tadcaster Road, York, has suffered a miscarriage of justice.

Father of two Ian, who is profoundly deaf and had a leg amputated after a road accident, is serving a ten-year prison sentence after being convicted of possession of cannabis. He has always strongly denied the charge.

Pressure is mounting for the country's authorities to release him, led by an Evening Press petition-signing campaign.

York MP Hugh Bayley, who has had several meetings with Ian's parents, Roy and Monica, said today: "I urge every right-minded person to sign this petition.

"This is a very serious miscarriage of justice and Ian Stillman should be released to continue the valuable work which he does to help other deaf people in India."

Ian moved to the country 27 years ago as a Christian missionary working with the deaf.

He married, and set up the Nambikkai Foundation, in Madras, which has now helped teach independence skills to more than 1,000 deaf people.

He was effectively excluded from his trial by being denied a sign language translator, stopping him from taking any part in it.

A Supreme Court judge recently refused to hear an appeal, ruling that Ian was not deaf. The judgement has amazed everybody who knows Ian.

Amnesty International this week took the petition out on the streets of Kirkbymoorside.

Updated: 10:41 Saturday, May 25, 2002