India: over 500 students sued for orgainsing a peaceful protest
Event- Country
- India
- Initial Date
- Dec 10, 2019
- Event Description
According to the information received on 10 December, 2019 Uttar Pradesh police registered an FIRagainst 20 namedand 500 other unnamed student human right defendersof Aligarh Muslim University in Civil Lines police station, Aligarh in connection with their protest against the passage of the controversialCitizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Indian Parliamentand the proposed implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) across the country.On 10 December, 2019 evening, the AMU students took out apeaceful protest march from the University Library totheBab-E-Sayyed gate, varsity's designated spot for protests and public meetings.According to the AMU studentstheir protestwas totallypeaceful and it’s their democratic right to raise voice against Citizenship Amendment Bill(CAB)which is not just against the letter and spirit of the Constitution but is designed to polarise Indian people on communal lines and divide the country.Students were demanding the immediate withdrawal of the bill.According to the police,casesagainst the students werefiled for defying prohibitory orders under Section 144 which prohibits gathering of more than four people, and holding a protest near Faiz Gate in the campus.According to the police the students had violated this provision by marching up to the University Circle and trying to disturb the peace.The Police FIR saysthe provisions ofSection 144 had been in effect since November 8, 2019, and thestudents had beencharged under Sections under Section 144 (Joining unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapon), 147 (Punishment for rioting), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of Indian Penal Codeby the District Administration.Sources informed that one of the coordinators of the peaceful protest march Mr. Sharjeel Usmani was threatened by the local police and he was told that he would be charged under National Security Act (NSA) if he fails to withdraw himself from the student activism.The controversial Citizenship Bill has sparked protests and agitations across the country, with many calling it "unconstitutional" and against the secular idea of India. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was passed with a majority of 311 votes against 80 votes in Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Indian Parliamenton December 9, 2019.The Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Zoroastrian communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered Indiaon or before December 31, 2014. It thereby extendsan opportunity for grant of citizenship to select minority communities of select neighbouring nations. According to the protesting students the Citizenship Amendment Bill’s blatant exclusion of a community is discriminatory and divisivebecause the bill leavesout refugees such as Rohingyas from Myanmar or Tamils from Sri Lanka or Ahmadiyyas from Pakistan. The amendments by giving special privileges to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jain, Parsis and Christians from these three countries, single out Muslims for exclusion.Students say the focus on only three countries shows as if these constitute the only possiblesources of asylum-seekers. By distinguishing illegal immigrants on the basis of religion, the bill violates the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution —including Articles 14,15, 16 and 21 which guarantee the right to equality; equality before the law; and non-discriminatory treatment by the Indian state.
- Impact of Event
- 20
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly
- Freedom of association
- Offline
- Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 27.889928255872665
Longitude: 78.08045076669065
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 10 December 2019, over 500 students were sued by the police for orgainsing a peaceful protest in Aligarh, India.