Tag: activist

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Ukrainian activist breaks down before Boris

It was during this interaction that Daria Kaleniuk, a Ukrainian activist from the NGO Anti-Corruption Action Centre told him that Ukrainians needed a no-fly zone…reports Asian Lite News

A Ukrainian activist broke down in front of UK PM Boris Johnson on Tuesday as she made an impassioned plea to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine. She urged Johnson to do more to help Ukraine which is under Russian attack. Johnson who is visiting Warsaw, Poland and was taking questions from journalists at the British embassy.

It was during this interaction that Daria Kaleniuk, a Ukrainian activist from the NGO Anti-Corruption Action Centre told him that Ukrainians needed a no-fly zone.

“Ukrainian women and Ukrainian children are in deep fear because of bombs and missiles which are coming from the sky. Ukrainian people are desperately asking for the West to protect our sky,” she said, her voice reverberating with emotion.

“Britain guarantees our security under the Budapest Memorandum so you’re coming to Poland, you are not coming to Kyiv, prime minister .. because you are afraid.”

Britain, along with fellow nuclear powers the United States and Russia, is a signatory to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum under which Ukraine gave up its own atomic weapons in return for security guarantees.

In response, Johnson said that there was “not enough that we can do as the UK government to help … the way that you want.”

“The implication of that (no fly zone) is that the UK would be engaged in shooting down Russian planes, would be in direct combat with Russia. That’s not something that we can do or that we’ve envisaged.”

Kaleniuk condemned what she said was Britain’s refusal to stand by the security commitments it made almost three decades ago and said a no-fly zone was essential in order to get humanitarian aid to central and eastern Ukraine.

“Ukrainian children are sitting in shelters in the bombardments and UK and the United States are saying sorry we will not go into war against Russia, we will not protect your sky … because we are simply afraid of World War Three,” she said.

“So what does this security guarantee mean? Nothing.”

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India News Kerala News

Charges framed against 17 in Gauri Lankesh murder case

Gauri Lankesh

In a major development, the Special Court investigating the sensational murder case of writer, activist Gauri Lankesh has framed charges against 17 accused persons…reports Asian Lite News

This comes in the backdrop of Supreme Court’s nod to frame charges against one of the accused Mohan Nayak N. under the provisions of Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) 2000.

Anil Bheemanna Katti, the special judge read out charges to the accused person through video conference on Saturday.

Gauri Lankesh

The accused were presented through video conference from the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru, Mumbai Arthur Road Jail and Yerawada Prison in Pune. The charges were read out to the accused in Kannada and Marathi.

The court adjourned the matter to December 8 for fixing the date of trail. The accused sought the permission of the court to meet their advocates in prison and pleaded not guilty of murder charges of Gauri Lankesh. The court asked them to submit applications in this regard.

The court has also directed the jail authorities in the Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara not to shift accused persons without the consent of the court.

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Gauri Lankesh was shot dead by bike borne assailants on September 5, 2017. Gauri was known for her attacks on right wing Hindu associations, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Her comments on Hindu Gods have also not gone down well with the Hindu organisations. She was also actively involved in bringing Maoists to the mainstream.

The murder of Gauri Lankesh took place after killing of Profesor M.M. Kalburgi on August 30, 2015. Kalburgi was also known for his attacks on the blind beliefs in Hindu religion. He was also a critic of right wing Hindu organisations.

The police have arrested Amol Kale, Amith Baddi, Parashuram Waghmore, Ganesh Miskin, Amit Degwekar, Bharath Kurane, Rajesh D. Bangera, Sudhanva Gondalekar, Mohan Nayak N., Suresh H.L., Sharad B. Kalaskar, Vasudev B. Suryavanshi, Sujithkumar, Manohar Yadave, Srikanth J. Pagarkar, K.T. Naveen Kumar and Rushikesh Devadekar in connection with Gauri Murder case.

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-Top News India News

Manipuri activist, held for FB post, freed after SC order

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for his part, requested the bench to list the matter for Tuesday. However, the bench did not budge and said the court will grant interim relief now itself…reports Asian Lite News.

Authorities in Manipur on Monday released activist Erendro Leichombam on the Supreme Court’s orders, two months after he was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) for his Facebook post criticising BJP leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cure for Covid-19.

Officials in Imphal said that Leichombam, 40, was released from the Central Jail on Monday afternoon as a division bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah earlier on Monday ordered his release on or before 5 p.m.

Ruling that a person cannot be kept in jail even for a day for such an act, Justice Chandrachud said: “He cannot be kept in jail even for a day. We will order his release today.”

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for his part, requested the bench to list the matter for Tuesday. However, the bench did not budge and said the court will grant interim relief now itself.

The bench said: “We are of the view that continued detention of the petitioner would be a violation of right to life and personal liberty under Article 21. We accordingly direct that the petitioner shall be released forthwith subject to interim directions of this court and subject to further orders.”

The court directed its Registrar (Judicial) to communicate the order to Manipur Central Jail for release of the activist before 5 p.m. on Monday. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that he would press for compensation at the next hearing.

The Supreme Court order came as it heard a petition filed by Leichombam’s father, L. Raghumani Singh, stating that the detention of the activist is a reprisal for his criticism against BJP leaders.

“Erendro, a Manipuri political activist, has been preventively detained solely to punish him for his criticism of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cures for Covid,” said the petition.

Leichombam and Wangkhem Wangthpi, 41, (alias Kishorchandra) were initially arrested by the police on May 13 for their Facebook post on the complaint of BJP leaders.

On May 17, the day duo were granted bail by the Imphal Chief Judicial Magistrate, the Imphal West District Magistrate Th. Kirankumar, detained them under the stringent NSA.

The plea in the Supreme Court also said that Leichombam has already spent 45 days in custody for an “innocuous piece of speech”.

A complaint was filed against Leichombam by Manipur state BJP Vice President Usham Deban and General Secretary P. Premananda Meetei, accusing him and Wangthpi of posting “offensive comments” referring to the death of state BJP President Saikhom Tikendra Singh, who succumbed to Covid-19 at a hospital in Imphal on May 13.

Leichombam and Wangthpi had been arrested twice earlier on charges of sedition and for making various posts on social media against the government.

Leichombam, educated abroad, is the founder of the People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance, a political party whose candidate in the 2017 Manipur elections included rights activist Irom Sharmila. He had also unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls in 2017.

Rights activists and various Manipur-based organisations and elsewhere in the country had then criticised the government for “overreacting”.

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