Repression – Page 28 – free them all

To Be Punished Until Proven Innocent – Jails Are Full Of Undertrials

10/02/2021 Rani

Outlook / by Puneet Nicholas Yadav

Our jails are full of undertrials. Are they being punished before their guilt is established in court?
“There is no reason why these undertrial prisoners should be allowed to continue to languish in jail, merely because the State is not in a position to try them within a reasonable period of time. It is possible that some of them, on trial, may be acquitted of the offences charged against them and, in that event, they would have spent several years in jail for offences that they are ultimately found not to have committed. What faith would these people have in our system of administration of justice? Would they not carry a sense of frustration and bitterness against a society that keeps them in jail for so many years for offences they did not commit?”
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Elgar organisers back Usmani; BJP demands action against them / 3 SC Lawyers Cleared My Speech: Usmani on FIRs

08/02/2021 Rani

Elgar organisers back Usmani; BJP demands action against them

08/02/2021

Hindustan Times / by Shalaka Shinde

Elgar organisers on Sunday issued a statement showing vehement support to Usmani (23), an activist and a student of Aligarh Muslim University in light of two cases registered against him – one in Pune and one in Lucknow.
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We stand with Sharjeel, say Elgaar Parishad organisers

07/02/2021

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

“Sangh Pariwar again provoked their castiest and communal hatred by targeting Sharjeel. The incident went on to charge Sharjeel for provoking religious sentiments and sedition. We as organizers of the Elgar Parishad are standing firmly with Sharjeel Usmani,” it stated.
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‘3 SC Lawyers Cleared My Speech’: Usmani on FIRs, Sedition Case

06/02/2021

The Quint / by Aishwarya S Iyer

I showed the transcript of my speech to three lawyers… three Supreme Court lawyers. All three of them said that not one word in the entire speech can be commissioned as an offence in any Indian court.”
Despite being cautious of the speech he was going to give at an Elgar Parishad event organised at Pune’s Ganesh Kala Krida Manch on January 30, 23-year-old Sharjeel Usmani has been booked for sedition, other than already being booked under charges of promoting enmity on grounds of religion, due to his ‘provocative’ statements from 30 January.
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Now, Bhujbal miffed at Usmani’s ‘anti-Hindu’ remarks

05/02/2021

The Hindu / by Special Correspondent

Ambedkarite outfit backs student leader.
Maharashtra Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Thursday expressed anger over the alleged ‘anti-Hindu’ remarks of Aligarh Muslim University student leader Sharjeel Usmani in a speech at the second edition of the Elgaar Parishad on January 30 in Pune.
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Sedition Charges filed against Sharjeel Usmani in Lucknow

04/02/2021

The Leaflet / by Rhea Binoy

Days after an FIR was filed against former Aligarh Muslim University student Sharjeel Usmani in Pune, for ‘promoting enmity between different groups’, another FIR has been filed against Usmani in Lucknow, this time with charges of sedition included.
An FIR under few charges, including sedition, has been registered against former Aligarh Muslim University student, Sharjeel Usmani in Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station, in connection to his speech at the Elgar Parishad in Pune.
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What is Elgar Parishad 2021?

04/02/2021

Jagranjosh / by Arfa Javaid

On 30 January 2021, Elgar Parishad event was organised by ‘Bhima Koregaon Shourya Din Prerna Abhiyan’ at Ganesh Krida Kala Manch in Pune’s Swargate area. Two FIRs have been lodged against former AMU student Sharjeel Usmani over his objectionable comments at the Elgar Parishad conclave…
Reacting over the FIR, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh stated that Sharjeel Usmani will be arrested from wherever he is.
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We Pointed Out When Sharjeel Usmani Used Word ‘Hindu’ Instead Of ‘Manuwadi’: Organiser Of Elgar Parishad

04/02/2021

BW Busindessworld / by ANI

We pointed out when Sharjeel Usmani used word ‘Hindu’ instead of ‘Manuwadi’: Organiser of Elgar Parishad.
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 4 (ANI): After a case was registered against a former Aligarh Muslim University student in Maharashtra for allegedly delivering a controversial speech at a conclave in Pune, one of the organisers of the event, Retd Justice Kolse Patil said that they pointed it out on stage when the Sharjeel Usmani had used the word ‘Hindu’ instead of ‘Manuwadi’.
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FIR against Muslim student leader Sharjeel Usmani over Elgar Parishad speech

04/02/2021

The Siasat Daily / by Sreshta Ladegaam

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said that Usmani will be arrested from wherever he is.
Student activist and alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University, Sharjeel Usmani has been booked for his speech at the Elgar Parishad 2021 held in Pune on January 30. The Pune Police registered an FIR against Usmani under Section 153 (A) of the Indian Penal Code at Swargate Police Station on Tuesday.
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Sharjeel Usmani booked by Pune Police over ‘provocative speech’ at Elgaar Parishad 2

03/02/2021

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

Usmani has been booked on charges of ‘promoting enmity between different groups’ following a complaint filed by a leader of the BJP’s youth wing.
Pune City police late on Tuesday registered an offence against Sharjeel Usmani, a student leader of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), for the alleged provocative speech delivered by him at ‘Elgaar Parishad 2021’, which was held in the city on January 30.
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Process Has Become Punishment In Case Of Varavara Rao: Anand Grover (video)

04/02/2021 Maya

en | 15:50min | 2021

The Logiacl Indian / by Navya Singh

81-year-old poet, activist Varavara Rao has spent 149 out of 365 days in the hospital. The activist’s lawyers and family have urged that he should be granted bail on medical grounds as his health condition continues to deteriorate.
The Logical Indian’s Navya Singh spoke to Senior Lawyer Anand Grover who represents Varavara Rao in the case to get more details.
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NIA arrested 16, chargesheeted 21 in Bhima Koregaon case: MHA

02/02/2021 Maya

Oneindia News / by Shreya

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has so far arrested 16 accused in the Bhima Koregaon case and filed charge sheet against 21 accused, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy also said that the central government has taken note of the press release issued by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on October 20 last year on the restrictions on human right NGOs and arrests of activists in India, and has responded to it appropriately.
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Videos: Persecution by Prosecution – PUCL and 100 Organisations demand: Repeal UAPA / Session Reports

22/01/2021 Maya

en | 2h 17min | 2021

The Leaflet / by People’s Union for Civil Liberties

PUCL India and over hundred organisations present:

Repeal UAPA – Persecution by Prosecution

Also watch:
► Why is the state afraid of Sudha Bharadwaj? (en + hindi | 2h 53min | Jan 2021)
► 100 Days of the incarceration of Fr. Stan Swamy (en + hindi | 3h | Jan 2021)

Session Report: Under UAPA, anything can be an offence based on flimsy evidence

22/01/2021

The Leaflet / by Megha Katheria

Bringing together lawyers, activists, and victims of UAPA, the second day of PUCL’s national consultation on repealing UAPA was packed with heart-wrenching stories of abuse and torture by the law. This underpinned the passionate launch of the campaign to repeal UAPA by PUCL and 100 other organisations. It is similar to the cohesive action by human rights organisations against TADA in 1990s and POTA in the early 2000s.
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Session Report: PUCL and 100 Organisations demand the repeal of the UAPA

21/01/2021

The Leaflet / by Parvathi Sjiv

In a session packed with human stories of abuse and misuse of law where activists and commoners were abused, the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) began a three-day session on January 20th with over 100 other organisations comprising advocates, activists and others who spoke about the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
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Pegasus Snooping – Why Users No Longer Believe WhatsApp and Mobile Phones Are Secure

17/01/2021 Rani

The Leaflet / by Nihalsing B Rathod

… When news broke that renowned Indian activists and lawyers had become victims of Pegasus, a chill went over all of us. It was an intensely strange experience to learn that we were being snooped on. Some time passed before we could understand what had really happened.
All of us were, in one way or another, connected with the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case.
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Mumbai Police ‘Arrests’ Harshali Potdar for Sharing a Facebook Post, Releases Her in Few Hours

12/01/2021 Rani

Mumbai Police ‘Arrests’ Activist for Sharing a Facebook Post, Releases Her in Few Hours

12/01/2021

The Wire / by Sukanya Shantha

Harshali Potdar, a rights activist, is also named as a prime accused in the ongoing Elgar Parishad investigation.
A week after a Mumbai sessions court rejected a pre-arrest plea filed by rights activist Harshali Potdar, the MRA police on Monday, January 11, picked her up from a café in South Mumbai only to release her after five hours.
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Activist Harshali Potdar denied anticipatory bail

07/01/2021

The Free Press Journal / by Bhavna Uchil

A sessions court on Wednesday rejected the anticipatory bail application of activist Harshali Potdar, one of the organisers of the Elgaar Parishad conclave, in a case registered against her in MRA Marg Police Station for sharing an allegedly communal social media post.
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Stories of Dissent – The BK16

05/01/2021 Rani

By The London Story

Born in America, Sudha Bhardwaj is a human rights lawyer practising in the Chhattisgarh High Court. She renounced her American citizenship at the age of 18, in order to join the Indian civil liberties movement. Bhardwaj has lived in Chhattisgarh, a state with a large tribal population, for more than 29 years of her life. She has been helping tribals against the illegal acquisition of their land by the government and private companies.
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From The Ballad Of Indian Gaols – Rights Activists In Jail Fight For Justice

04/01/2021 Rani

Outlook India / by Preetha Nair

Rights activists in jail on various charges under the UAPA continue their fight for justice.
The law takes its own course, but for rights activists assailed by the UAPA, that path is overly tortuous and weighted down by fraudulent police chargesheets. The charges are grave, but can scarcely survive judicial scrutiny, say supporters of Varavara Rao and Umar Khalid, of Akhil Gogoi, Natasha Narwal and Khalid Saifi. As the cases snail on in court, horrible prison conditions have taken a toll on all. Their spirit of resistance, borne along on idealism, will outlive this trial.
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Organisers of the Elgaar Parishad say the event will be held on Jan 30 / COVID-19 Dampens Celebration

02/01/2021 Rani

Organisers of the Elgaar Parishad say the event will be held on January 30

02/01/2021

Frontline / by Anupama Katakam

After the Pune Police refused permission for the Elgaar Parishad this year, retired judge B.G. Kolse-Patil, who is one of the main organisers, said they would go ahead and hold the event. Until 2017, the Elgaar Parishad was an annual gathering of primarily Dalit rights activists in Pune. The event was not held for two years since then because of a relentless witch-hunt and subsequent arrest of activists who are reportedly connected to the event.
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COVID-19 Dampens Jan 1 Celebration at Bhima Koregaon, Few Hundreds Attend with Limited Passes

02/01/2021

Newsclick / by Varsha Torgalkar

The Pune Police had also closed all the roads going towards Bhima Koregoan, with only those with passes being allowed to proceed. However, many who had travelled from other cities complained that they were not aware of the concept of passes.
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Denied permission, ex-judge Kolse-Patil says he will hold ‘Elgaar Parishad’ on Jan 30

01/01/2021

The Hindu / by Shoumojit Banerjee

He accuses govt. of directing police to keep a watch on him.
With the Pune police denying permission to hold another ‘Elgaar Parishad’ on December 31, retired Bombay High Court judge B. G. Kolse-Patil — who was among the chief organisers of the original and controversial ‘Elgaar Parishad’ held in December 2017 — has announced his resolve to hold the event on January 30, 2021, on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary.
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Denied December 31 nod, Elgaar Parishad organisers say will hold event on Jan 30

01/01/2021

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

Justice (retd) Kolse Patil said, “We will now hold it on January 30, at the Ganesh Kala Krida Manch in Pune. And if not there, we will hold it on the streets. If not allowed to do that, we will fill the jails.”
Organisers of Elgaar Parishad, who were denied permission by Pune City Police to hold the conference on December 31, have said they will hold it in Pune on January 30. They also said that if police deny permission for the conference again, they will hold the conference “on the streets”.
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Elgar Parishad organisers ask Sharad Pawar to ensure SIT probe

01/01/2021

Free Press Journal / by pti

Organizers of the Elgar Parishad demanded on Thursday that NCP chief Sharad Pawar should fulfil his `assurance’ of an SIT probe into the case related to the 2017 conclave.
The Pune district administration denied permission for the annual Elgar Parishad – which is held on December 31 – this year citing the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Police issue notices to 530 social media groups ahead of Bhima Koregaon anniversary

31/12/2020

Hindustan Times/ by Nadeem Inamdar

The Pune rural police have served notices to as many as 530 social media group administrators, warning them not to allow posts pertaining to inflammatory messages in the wake of January 1 anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon.
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