Uwazi

A court in Hong Kong on Tuesday denied an application for bail from jailed democracy activists Agnes Chow and Ivan Lam pending their appeal against their sentence on charges related to "illegal assembly" during a mass siege of police headquarters on June 21, 2019.

Chow, who looked thinner and paler than in previous court appearances, wiped away tears in court as High Court judge Andrew Chan said he would be referring the case to the Court of Appeal, effectively denying the application for bail.

Some supporters shouted out encouragement to Chow, while Lam made the five-finger gesture of the 2019 pro-democracy movement representing five demands made by protesters, including fully democratic elections, an amnesty for jailed protesters, and accountability for police violence.

The hearing was also attended by outspoken Cardinal Joseph Zen. Police officers cordoned off the area around the court entrance with traffic barriers, and journalists weren't allowed to get close enough to take photos.

Lawyers for Lam and Chow later said the pair will both serve out their sentences, with Lam due to be released in April and Chow in June.

Chow, 24, was sentenced to seven months' imprisonment in Dec. 2 after pleading guilty to charges relating to "illegal assembly."

She was taken after sentencing to the medium-security Lo Wu Correctional Institution near the border with mainland China, but was later transferred to the Tai Lam Women's Correctional Institution, a Category A facility.

Category A prisoners, of whom there are only a few hundred in a city of seven million, are often people who have been convicted of murder or drug trafficking.

Fellow activist and former 2014 student leader Joshua Wong, who co-founded the now-disbanded political party Demosisto with Chow, is also believed to have been placed in Category A.

Fellow activists Joshua Wong, 24, and Lam, 26, were jailed for 13-and-a-half-months and seven months respectively by the West Kowloon District Court on Dec. 2, 2020.

All three defendants pleaded guilty to charges of "inciting others to take part in an illegal assembly" and "taking part in an illegal assembly," and their sentences were reduced in recognition of the guilty plea.

Oaths of allegiance

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong authorities are gearing up to require sitting members of the District Council to take an oath of allegiance to Hong Kong.

Secretary for mainland and constitutional affairs Eric Tsang said politicians whose oaths were deemed "insincere" would be stripped of their seats on the council.

Pro-democracy candidates swept to a landslide victory in the last District Council elections in November 2019, which came after several months of mass protest over Hong Kong's vanishing freedoms.

"The law will fulfill the constitutional responsibility of the government," Tsang said.

"You cannot say that you are patriotic but you do not love the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party or you do not respect it - this does not make sense," Tsang added. "Patriotism is holistic love."

The move came a day after a top ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official in charge of Hong Kong said that only patriots should be allowed to hold public office.

Under the draft legislation, any district councilor who fails the loyalty test will be sent to court for formal disqualification, and banned from taking part in elections for five years.

Mass disqualifications

Political commentators have warned that the authorities are gearing up for the mass disqualification of opposition politicians from the council, who currently hold nearly 90 percent of seats.

Tsang said four district councilors -- Lester Shum, Tiffany Yuen, Fergus Leung, and Tat Cheng -- have already been earmarked for disqualification.

“The returning officers at the time have already concluded that the four do not genuinely uphold the Basic Law. So theoretically speaking, they won’t be qualified to stay on as district councillors," Tsang told reporters in comments reported by government broadcaster RTHK.

A recent poll by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI) found that several different measures of freedom in Hong Kong were at their lowest level since the handover.

Academic freedom, freedom of association, and freedom of movement all dropped to their lowest ebb in a survey carried out in early February 2021, while press freedom and freedom of speech also returned low scores.

HKPORI deputy chief executive Chung Kim-wah said the freedom of movement figure reflects people's concerns over growing entry and exit controls at Hong Kong's borders, particularly after China said it would no longer recognize the British National Overseas (BNO) passport.

"First they were talking about countermeasures and non-recognition, and then we had the announcement that the BNO wouldn't be accepted as a travel document any more," Chung told RFA. "There were also rumors that there would be restrictions on people trying to leave."

"Our survey conducted at the beginning of this month reflects people's feelings on the BNO [issue]," he said.

Following the imposition of the national security law in Hong Kong, the U.K. launched an immigration scheme for BNO passport-holders that offers a potential pathway to work, study, and eventual citizenship to around five million of Hong Kong's seven million residents, drawing Beijing's ire.

Crackdown on dissent, opposition

The CCP imposed the draconian National Security Law for Hong Kong on the city from July 1, 2020, ushering in a crackdown on peaceful dissent and political opposition.

The law was described as "one of the greatest threats to human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong since the 1997 handover" by legal experts at Georgetown University's Asian Law Center.

The report found that the authorities "have made vigorous use of the [law] over the past seven months, with over 100 arrests by the newly-created national security department in the Hong Kong police force."

"The vast majority of initial ... arrests would not be considered national security cases in other liberal constitutional jurisdictions," the report said.

It said there are "serious concerns" that the law is being used to suppress the basic political rights of Hong Kong residents.

"Prosecution of individuals for exercising their rights to free expression, association, or assembly ... violate Hong Kong and Beijing’s commitments under international human rights law," it said.

RFA

In a brazen daylight attack, masked terrorists shot dead four women vocational trainers and injured their driver near Mirali in North Waziristan tribal district on Monday.

Police said a vehicle carrying five women was driving through a village near Mirali when the gunmen opened fire on it, killing four of them on the spot.

The slain trainers were identified as Naheed Bibi, Irshad Bibi, Ayesha Bibi and Javeria Bibi. They belonged to the nearby Bannu district. The driver of the vehicle, Abdul Khaliq, suffered bullet injuries in the attack. He is under treatment at a local hospital.

District Police Officer Shafiullah Gandapur issued a press release after the killing of the four women trainers, stating that the four were targeted and killed by terrorists in Eppi village near Mirali.

The police statement said that the driver suffered injuries in the attack while one woman trainer, Mariam Bibi, survived as she took shelter in the village. Bodies of the four women were taken to the tehsil headquarters hospital in Mirali town.

Earlier, police had said that the women were working for an NGO to give vocational training to local women in Eppi village.

Later, the DPO changed his statement and said that the women were working for a technical institute based in Bannu to develop vocational skills of the local women. He said that the NGO had signed a memorandum of understanding with the institute to give vocational training to women of the area.

The NGOs office in Peshawar said that the women killed in the attack were not affiliated with the organisation. An official of the NGO told Dawn that the four women were attached to a technical college in Bannu.

He said that the women trainers had proceeded from Bannu to Eppi village to give vocational training to the local women. He said that his organisation had been working on a project for skill development of the womenfolk of the area.

In September last year, some unidentified gunmen had killed a lady health worker in Khaisur area near Mirali. Mirali was the bastion of local and foreign insurgents before operation Zarb-i-Azb was launched in June 2014.

A police official said that on Sunday night gunmen opened fire on a vehicle in Shewa area near Mirali and killed its driver named Wali Gul. The gunmen also kidnapped 10 people including six non-locals.

Unicef condemns attack

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund has expressed shock over the killing of the four women.

“UNICEF condemns in the strongest possible terms this senseless attack on women and aid workers and joins the families in mourning this tragic loss of lives. The perpetrators must be brought to justice,” said Unicef Representative in Pakistan, Aida Girma.

“Unicef is saddened and shocked at the reported killing of four women who were reportedly staff members of Bravo College, Bannu, and they were travelling to North Waziristan, one of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s merged districts, earlier on Monday. Their driver was reportedly injured in the attack after unidentified assailants fired on their vehicle,” Unicef said in a statement issued in Islamabad.

Dawn

Barkha Dutt, who often reports for the Washington Post and runs a YouTube local news channel called MoJo Story, told RSF that she regards the accusation brought against her, in the form of a police “First Information Report” (FIR) on 21 February, as a “harassment attempt” and “pure intimidation.”

The accusation concerns Dutt’s coverage of the death of two teenage girls who are Dalits (members of the Indian group formerly known as “untouchables”). They were found poisoned in a field in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district after going missing on 17 February.

The FIR names Dutt’s Twitter account, @themojostory, along with seven other Twitter accounts, including those of several politicians who claimed the girls were sexually assaulted. The MoJo Story report never claimed this, but the FIR says it did. Dutt’s request for a copy of the FIR has been refused by the police, thereby preventing her from legally disputing the accusation.

Lumped together “The police are deliberately lumping together unverified comments by politicians with the MoJo Story’s rigorous journalistic reporting,” said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk. “This is clearly a case of judicial harassment aimed at silencing any independent investigative coverage of this case. We urge the Uttar Pradesh prosecutor’s office to immediately dismiss this accusation, which is not based on any credible evidence, and furthermore violates the criminal procedure code by denying Barkha Dutt access to the case.”

According to the police, Dutt is accused under criminal code article 153 of “wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot,” which is punishable by up to a year in prison. The police were almost certainly annoyed that her reporting included interviews with members of the family of the two murdered girls, who said the police pressured them to quickly cremate their bodies.

This is a highly sensitive claim coming just five months after the alleged gang-rape and subsequent death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras, another Uttar Pradesh district, in September – a case that received a great deal attention throughout India, as RSF reported at the time.

Blocked access After the young woman died of her injuries in hospital, the police quickly cremated her body the next day, fuelling speculation that they wanted to destroy evidence. The police then blocked access to the district to prevent reporters from interviewing the family.

As she reported in a tweet at the time, Dutt tried to circumvent the police roadblock by walking several kilometres across fields but the police caught her, put her in a police van, and deposited her back on the road, outside the sealed-off area.

India is ranked 142nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index.

RSF

Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have hauled in a rights activist for questioning after he started a signature campaign in support of mass popular protests against the military coup in Myanmar.

State security police in Guangdong's Huizhou city summoned activist Xiao Yuhui for repeated interrogations starting Feb. 18 and continuing into this week, RFA has learned.

The summons came after Xiao posted to a number of groups on the social media app WeChat condemning the Myanmar military coup.

"Xiao Yuhui was summoned to the police station ... he was there about half an hour [that time]," a person familiar with the matter who declined to be named told RFA.

"He's back home now, but the state security police have him in their sights, and they call him in at random," the person said.

Xiao, who was interrogated by police from the Luoxi district police station in Guangzhou, Hengli district police station in Dongguan, and Huizhou municipal police department, is now being pressured to remain in or near his home.

While in Huizhou city, some 30 kilometers away from his home in Hengli district, on Monday night, Xiao received repeated phone calls from officers at his local Yuantongqiao police station asking him to report to them.

Xiao made the trip home, eventually arriving in the early hours of Tuesday, where he was forced to write the guarantee before being released.

Dissident Wang Aizhong, who is based in Guangdong's provincial capital, Guangzhou, said she had heard similar news of Xiao.

"It was about supporting the people of Myanmar [against the coup]," Wang said. "I didn't see it personally."

Targeted before

She said Xiao has been targeted by state security police before.

"He was detained and held under criminal detention for several months at one point, so he's no stranger to being asked to 'drink tea'," she said, in a slang reference to being summoned by state security police.

Xiao, who was called back in by police on Tuesday morning, declined to comment when contacted by RFA following his release.

"Sorry, it's not convenient right now," he said, using a phrase often used by activists to indicate pressure from the authorities.

Rights activists said a number of WeChat users across China, including Qingyuan, Shenzhen, Jieyang, and other Guangdong cities, have been treated similarly since Feb. 18, for adding their names to Xiao's signature campaign.

A friend of Xiao's who asked to remain anonymous said the authorities had responded very quickly to Xiao's posts.

"He posted to the group calling for solidarity with Myanmar and the protests against the military coup," the friend said. "He got the call [from police] ... within hours [of posting]."

Xiao's earlier detention was linked to his online support for the Hong Kong protest movement.

He was detained by Guangdong police alongside an unnamed woman after he retweeted a WeChat on May 27, 2020 referring to an online letter-writing campaign by Hong Kong's pro-democracy newspaper the Apple Daily, in opposition to the national security law.

The draconian law was imposed on the city on July 1, 2020, and outlaws sedition, subversion, foreign interference, and activities supporting independence for Hong Kong.

It is currently being enforced by a newly established state security branch of the Hong Kong police, alongside a branch of China's feared state security police.

The woman was subsequently released on bail pending trial, but Xiao was held under criminal detention at the Huicheng district police station in Huizhou.

A veteran activist, Xiao has also previously helped vulnerable groups to defend their rights, as well as families targeted by family planning officials under the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s "one-child" policy.

RFA

Civil rights activist Jolovan Wham was fined a total of $8,000 on Monday (Feb 15) after he pleaded guilty to three charges over an illegal public assembly held on MRT trains more than three years ago.

The gathering of nine people was held to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Operation Spectrum - an internal security operation in 1987 that ended with the detention of 22 activists in what the Government called a Marxist conspiracy.

During their rides on northbound and southbound trains, which went on for about two hours on June 3, 2017, the protesters put on blindfolds fashioned from trash bags and held up copies of a book about the operation.

Wham and another protester also placed sheets of paper, printed with messages protesting the detentions, on their laps.

He later uploaded photographs of the gathering in social media posts.

Wham, 41, was fined $4,500 for organising the assembly without a permit, $1,000 for vandalising a train by pasting two sheets of paper with printed messages onto a panel, and $2,500 for refusing to sign a statement he gave to the police on the case.

He told the court through his lawyers from Eugene Thuraisingam LLP that he intends to pay the $2,500 fine but will go to jail in lieu of paying the fines for the illegal assembly and vandalism charges.

He started serving the default term, totalling 22 days, immediately. Stern warnings were issued to the other protesters.

This is Wham's second conviction for organising a public assembly without a permit and for refusing to sign his police statement.

In 2019, he was fined a total of $3,200 over an indoor event he organised in 2016 that featured Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong delivering a speech via a video call.

On Monday, district judge Marvin Bay noted in his sentencing remarks that there was a degree of escalation from Wham's previous offence.

"The escalation is pronounced in the prolonged nature of his offending of some two hours, which involved the described activities on a number of MRT trains on different lines," said the judge.

Judge Bay said while there was largely no "demonstration of belligerence or overt antagonism" on the part of the protesters, their actions would have caused "confusion, consternation and possibly a degree of anxiety among MRT commuters".

However, the judge added: "I am mindful that the protesters did remove their signs, did not cause damage to property and left no mark other than their transient presence (on the train)."

Prosecutors had sought a total fine of at least $9,500, arguing that Wham's "recalcitrance and continued disobedience of the law must be met with a sufficiently deterrent sentence".

In written submissions, deputy public prosecutors Ng Yiwen and Dillon Kok said the use of MRT trains could have caused public order issues. "Such public facilities are not meant to cater to the accused's mode of civil disobedience and social media publicity stunts," they said.

Straits Times

A 22-year-old Indian climate activist has been arrested after sharing a document intended to help farmers protest against new agricultural laws.

Police said Disha Ravi was a "key conspirator" in the "formulation and dissemination" of the document.

The "toolkit", which suggests ways of helping the farmers, was tweeted by prominent activist Greta Thunberg.

Activists say Ms Ravi's arrest is a clear warning to those who want to show support to anti-government protests.

Tens of thousands of farmers have been protesting for more than two months over the laws, which they say benefit only big corporations.

The new legislation loosens rules around the sale, pricing and storage of farm produce which have protected India's farmers from the free market for decades.

The farmers' protests mark the biggest challenge India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has faced. His government has offered to suspend the laws but the farmers want them replaced altogether. What do we know about Disha Ravi's arrest?

Ms Ravi, one of the founders of the Indian branch of the Fridays for Future climate strike, was arrested by Delhi police.

In a statement posted on social media on Sunday, police said she had "collaborated" to "spread disaffection against the Indian State".

It said she was an editor of the document and had shared it with Swedish climate activist Ms Thunberg.

Officials said Ms Ravi would be held in custody for five days. No formal charges have been announced.

Police have said the toolkit suggested a conspiracy in the run up to a huge rally on 26 January, which saw protesting farmers clash with police.

"The call was to wage economic, social, cultural and regional war against India," Delhi Police Special Commissioner Praveer Ranjan said earlier this month.

"We have registered a case for spreading disaffection against the government of India - it's regarding sedition - and disharmony between groups on religious, social and cultural grounds, and criminal conspiracy to give shape to such a plan," he added.

Jairam Ramesh, a former minister and lawmaker for the opposition Congress party, called Ms Ravi's arrest and detention "completely atrocious".

BBC

MYANMAR'S security forces fired to disperse protesters outside a power plant in the northern state of Kachin, footage broadcasted live on Facebook showed, although it was not clear if they were using rubber bullets or live fire.

Hundreds had gathered late on Sunday outside a power plant that soldiers had occupied in the city of Myitkyina. As darkness fell, riot police accompanied by soldiers arrived to drive away the crowds, the footage showed.

The security forces doused the crowds with a water cannon and shots were heard.

"A few minutes ago the Tatmadaw reinforced with military tanks and now they started shooting," said one resident who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, using the Burmese term for the armed forces.

The US embassy in Myanmar had also warned of military troop movements and possible "telecommunications interruptions" in Yangon. "There are indications of military movements in Yangon and the possibility of telecommunications interruptions overnight between 1:00 am and 9:00 am" on Monday morning local time, the US embassy tweeted on its official American Citizen Services account on Sunday night.

These developments come as the military regime warned the public not to harbour fugitive political activists on Sunday after issuing arrest warrants for veteran democracy campaigners supporting massive nationwide anti-coup protests.

Security forces have stepped up arrests of doctors and others joining a civil disobedience movement that has seen huge crowds throng streets in big urban centres and isolated frontier villages alike.

Police are now hunting seven people who have lent vocal support to the protests, including some of the country's most famous democracy activists.

Business Times

Seven well-known activists, including Min Ko Naing and other leaders of the four-eights pro-democracy uprising of 1988, have been charged with inciting unrest against the state.

In a statement released late Saturday, Myanmar’s newly installed military junta said that it had issued arrest warrants for the wanted activists and urged members of the public to report them to the authorities.

According to the statement, former 88 generation student leaders Min Ko Naing and Jimmy, singer Lin Lin, writer Insein Aung Soe, think tank director Myo Yan Naung Thein, and social media influencers Maung Maung Aye and Ei Pan Sel Lo have all been charged with incitement against the state under section 505b of the penal code.

The statement accused them of “using their popularity to incite the people with their writing and speeches through social media and social networks to destroy the state’s law and order.”

Aung Myo Min, the director of the rights group Equality Myanmar, said that the statement shows the regime’s total disregard for freedom of expression.

“We cannot accept this way of denying all expressions of dissent,” he said, noting that the accused had all spoken out against last week’s coup.

The military arrested State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and other leading members of the civilian government in predawn raids on February 1, just hours before parliament was set to convene for the first time since last year’s election.

Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, won the November 8 election in a landslide, but the military alleged that it had found widespread voting irregularities.

In the weeks before the coup, it accused the government and the Union Election Commission of failing to resolve these issues.

The military takeover has sparked mass protests and a civil disobedience movement by public service workers. In recent days, the regime has carried out a series of late-night raids targeting resistance leaders.

Poet Maung Saung Kha, the executive director of the Yangon-based free-speech advocacy group Athan, condemned the military’s statement and warned that worse was yet to come.

“The military coup-makers will use all means available to them to arrest and imprison anyone who tries to oppose them. There is no chance to enjoy human rights under a military dictatorship. I think worse rights violations will come,” he said.

According to figures compiled by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 326 people were arrested in the first 12 days of the coup, including 23 who have since been released.

Myanmar Now

Arrest warrants have been issued for seven people — including veteran student leaders as well as social influencers — accusing them of incitement against Myanmar’s military regime. The warrants were announced Saturday evening by Myanmar’s military.

Those facing arrest are U Min Ko Naing and Kyaw Min Yu (a.k.a. Ko Jimmy) who are the veteran democracy activists and leaders of the 1988 uprising; singer Linn Linn, who is a former bodyguard of detained leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; Insein Aung Soe; Myo Yan Naung Thein, the director of Bayda Institute for a Just Society; presenter Maung Maung Aye and Facebook cele Ei Pencilo. They are charged with incitement, under Article 505 [b] of the Penal Code.

The military is alleging that the accused made and circulated a statement on social media intending to undermine the peace and order of the state.

The charge has been widely used to stifle political dissent under previous military regimes. If found guilty, the accused face up to two years in prison.

Since the pre-dawn coup on Feb. 1, the military has detained more than 300 people. Veteran leaders went into hiding but put out messages online daily to anti-coup protesters. Their social media messages also called for civil servants to take part in the civil disobedience movement (CDM).

Since last week, U Min Ko Naing also urged the public to boycott the businesses run by the military.

The accused actively support the CDM and are organizing to financially support those government staff, who take part in the CDM. Started by healthcare workers, the CDM movement is gaining momentum with some police, teachers, engineers, railways staff, as well as news announcers from the ministry of information boycotting the coup.

The military attempted to arrest the cele Ei Pencilo during the coup day, but have been unsuccessful.

Irrawaddy

Today was the 74th Union Day as well as day 12 of the military coup. Protests against the coup continued to escalate across the country including in ethnic areas amid rising arrests along with violent crackdowns on demonstrations by the junta government.

Today across Burma videos have been circulating on social media and news agency’s which show arbitrary detentions and the use of force against peaceful protestors. The detentions defy domestic law and international standards. The rule of law is not being followed and the human rights of people in Burma is being suppressed.

In Mawlamyine, Mon State, While peacefully demonstrating at the Student Union in Mawlamyine Township on 12 February, riot police force cracked-down on the demonstration by firing rubber bullets. 5 students were injured and 9 students were abducted. There is a video of the police force charging at a protest, disproportionate to the actions of these demonstrators, they then violently detained one demonstrator in the clip. In another video in Mawlamyine, police are seen interrogating a demonstrator before abruptly taking them away.

Family members are left with no knowledge of the charges, location, or condition of their loved ones. These are not isolated incidents and night-time raids are targeting dissenting voices. It is happening across the country.

These actions are also against domestic law, if someone breaks Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, they must be arrested under Section 188 of the Penal Code. For allegedly breaking Section 188 they must be accused at the court, not arbitrarily taken away to undisclosed locations from the street and from in their homes. It is also not the authority of the police, the courts decided whether to detain, charge, and take away an individual’s liberty.

AAPP

On February 12, Jammu and Kashmir police opened an investigation into Gul, a freelance journalist who contributes to The Kashmirwalla, for allegedly taking part in an illegal demonstration against home demolitions, according to Gul, who spoke to CPJ via phone, and news reports.

The investigation into Gul stems from an article he published on February 9, in which residents of Hajin, a town in Bandipora district, in north Kashmir, alleged that local government official Ghulam Mohammad Bhat had threatened them and forcefully demolished their homes, Gul told CPJ.

Gul said he believed the local authorities filed the complaint opening the investigation on Bhat’s instruction. In a text message to CPJ, Bhat denied having any role in filing the complaint.

The complaint alleges that Gul took part in an illegal demonstration opposing the demolitions on February 10, where he allegedly threw stones and shouted slogans, according to the journalist.

Police are investigating Gul for violating Sections 147 (rioting), 447 (criminal trespass), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code, according to the journalist and The Kashmirwalla.

Gul denied partaking in such a demonstration, and told CPJ that he was in Srinagar, about 40 miles from Bandipora, on February 10.

Gul also told CPJ that the police had not given him a copy of the complaint, and have merely mentioned the counts on which he is being investigated. If charged and convicted, Gul could face up to two years of imprisonment under Indian law.

CPJ contacted Amritpal Singh, senior superintendent of police for Shopian, Colonel K. Arun of the army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information, and Sajad Malik, police deputy superintendent of Hajin, for comment via messaging app, but did not receive any responses.

CPJ

Security forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas at anti-coup protesters in Myanmar's capital on Tuesday (Feb 9), as demonstrators around the country defied a military ban on rallies.

Protests erupted for a fourth straight day against last week's coup to oust civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, despite a warning from the new junta that they would take action against demonstrations that threatened "stability".

In Naypyidaw, the remote capital purpose built by the previous military regime, witnesses said police fired rubber bullets at protesters after earlier blasting them with water cannon.

"They fired warning shots to the sky two times, then they fired (at protesters) with rubber bullets," a resident told AFP, adding that he saw some people injured.

An AFP reporter on the ground confirmed that shots had been fired.

In Mandalay, the country's second-biggest city, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters.

After watching hundreds of thousands of people rally in opposition to last week's coup, junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing made a televised speech on Monday evening to justify seizing power.

The military has banned gatherings of more than five people in Yangon, the nation's commercial hub, as well as Naypyidaw and other areas across the country where major rallies have erupted, including the second biggest city Mandalay.

A nighttime curfew has also been imposed at the protest hotspot sites.

But on Tuesday, fresh protests emerged in various parts of Yangon, including near the headquarters of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the party of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained by the military.

On Tuesday, Myanmar's authorities extended areas where gatherings are restricted to more parts of the country, the military's information unit said

The areas where public gatherings of more than five people are banned and a curfew has been imposed include the commercial hub of Yangon, the capital Naypyidaw, as well as some towns in the Magwe region, Kachin state, Kayah state, Mon state and Shan State, the Facebook page of the military's True News information unit said.

One witness told Reuters that demonstrators ran away as guns were fired into the air, but not in the direction of the crowd.

The witness said police had initially used water cannon and tried to push a large crowd back, but demonstrators responded with projectiles.

Footage on social media showed people running, with the sound of several gunshots in the distance.

At least six anti-coup protesters were injured in police shooting in Naypyitaw on Tuesday and two of them are in a critical condition. A volunteer medic with the protest told The Irrawaddy that a man who was shot in the chest and a 20-year-old woman was shot in the head, the most serious injury.

Police shot 19-year-old student Mya Thwe Thwe Khine, also known as Myat Thet Thet Khaing in the head while she positioned herself with other protesters behind a protective barricade. A family member confirmed her death online.Mobile-phone footage of the incident shows police firing weapons in the direction of protesters, and a gunshot rings out as Myat Thet Thet Khaing drops to the ground. She was taken to a hospital in Naypyidaw where a doctor confirmed to Fortify Rights that she sustained an imminently fatal gunshot wound to the head with live ammunition. A doctor on the scene told Fortify Rights she was brain dead. Brain death is the complete loss of brain function and in most jurisdictions is regarded as legal death.

CNA | Fortify Rights | Irrawaddy

Two journalists employed by official media are being held by police in central Vietnam’s Quang Tri province on charges of “abusing press freedoms” for posting articles online criticizing provincial leaders, state media and other sources say.

Phan Bui Bao Thy, 56 and bureau chief of the online magazine Age and Education, and an associate, Le Anh Dung, 50, were taken into custody on Feb. 10 after articles appeared on Facebook pages the two men operated accusing provincial officials of corruption, police said.

One article posted in August on Thy’s Facebook page accused Le Quang Than—deputy chairman of Quang Tri’s Huong Hoa district, and a member of the Huong Hoa Communist Party Committee—of falsifying his educational credentials.

State media did not report the contents of the pair’s other allegedly defamatory online postings. Online access to Age and Education is now blocked.

Press freedoms group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) noted on Feb. 16 that on one site, Quang Tri 357, Thy had posted reports of alleged corruption involving the province’s president, Vo Van Hung, and deputy minister of culture, tourism and sports, Nguyen Van Hung.

Thy will now be held for questioning for the next two months, RSF said, adding, “The police, who carried out searches of his home, claim to have found a great deal of information related to this activities as an online reporter.”

In a statement, Daniel Bastard—head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk—called for Thy’s immediate release, saying “he was just trying to serve the general interest in his work as a journalist.”

“His fate highlights the straitjacket enclosing public media journalists in Vietnam, who are persecuted as soon as they stray from the official line imposed by the ruling Communist Party’s propaganda department.”

“In so doing, the Vietnamese authorities violate article 25 of their own constitution,” Bastard said.

Thy’s arrest came five weeks after the sentencing by a Ho Chi Minh City court of three independent journalists—Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, and Le Huu Minh Tuan—on charges of carrying out propaganda against the state.

Other journalists jailed

Nguyen Tuong Thuy, who had blogged on civil rights and freedom of speech issues for RFA’s Vietnamese Service for six years, was sentenced on Jan. to an 11-year prison term for “making, storing, and disseminating documents and materials for anti-state purposes” under Article 117 of Vietnam’s Penal Code.

Sentenced with Thuy, Pam Chi Dung was given a 15-year prison term, while Le Huu Minh Tuan was jailed for 11 years.

Reporters Without Borders ranked Vietnam 175 out of 180 in its 2020 World Press Freedom Index. Around 25 journalists and bloggers are being held in Vietnam’s jails, “where mistreatment is common,” the Paris-based watchdog group said.

Vietnam’s already low tolerance of dissent deteriorated sharply last year with a spate of arrests of independent journalists, publishers, and Facebook personalities as authorities continued to stifle critics in the run-up to the ruling Communist Party Congress in January.

RFA

About one thousand joined a protest at Pathum Wan Skywalk in a bid to address economic hardship and demand the release of detained activists. They also underlined their original 3 demands: resignation of the PM, constitutional amendment and monarchy reform.

Protesters descending to the BACC forecourt at dusk.

After a hiatus of a month because of the resurgence of Covid-19 infections in January, the Ratsadorn protest group and the Labour Network for People’s Rights joined hands to organize a ‘banging pots against dictatorship’ protest, an activity inspired by the pot-banging in Myanmar as an anti-dictatorship message.

People started to gather at 15.00, an hour prior to the designated time. The police could be seen setting up checkpoints to search people’s belongings before joining the protests. Over 100 crowd control police, fully equipped with defensive gear, batons and shields, were deployed along with 2 water cannon trucks.

Protesters gathered on the Skywalk for an hour before descending to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre forecourt.

Sriprai Nonsee of the Rangsit and Area Labour Union Group gave a speech about the hardship of workers, demanding that the government have a comprehensive relief policy, instead of picking some groups of people and leaving others behind. In Thailand, migrant workers do not receive any kind of relief from the government.

She said inequality in Thailand must be solved. The budgets for the military and monarchy are too high. They should be cut in order to pay for social welfare. People’s taxes should be used to alleviate the people’s hardship.

Protesters with drums joining the pot-banging activity.

Panupong Jadnok, a leading protest figure from Rayong Province, said police tactics today were against universal principles in dealing with protests. A crackdown can only be authorized by the courts, not someone’s order.

His message to the government and the King was that people are now starving to death in poverty. They cannot wait for the King to smash his crown into pieces with the pieces distributed to the people.

Tossaporn Serirak, a doctor and former MP, attended the protest as usual. He was seen drawing portraits and bringing first aid kits to deal with emergencies. He said he was there out of concern for the protesters’ safety.

“I want to say ‘keep fighting’, but there must be awareness. The most important thing is experience. Our young brothers and sisters have power and knowledge but what they lack is experience.

Tossaporn Serirak showing the bandages he brings along.

“I say to the government, the Prime Minister or all the great people, stop creating the conditions for protests. It is better to quickly stop everything and start negotiating,” said Tossaporn.

Many people could be seen with the banners calling for the abolition of Section 112 of the Criminal Code and also with banners protesting the Myanmar coup.

March to police station

As the protest went on, at least 9 people were arrested at the protest and taken to Pathumwan Police Station, where all but two were released after paying a fine.

At 16.45 a woman was arrested while she was spraying “No Ju” on a bulletin board near the BTS train station. Cleaning staff were immediately summoned to remove the message.

Panussaya Sitthijirawattanakul from the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration (UFTD), another leading protest figure, announced that the protesters would march to Pathumwan Police Station, located about a kilometre away, where at least 4 people from today’s protest were detained .

Before the march, Panussaya said the government has underestimated the people's movement. The people have not forgotten the three main demands of the movement that started in 2020: the resignation of Gen Prayut, a new constitution from the people, and reform of the constitutional monarchy.

Chaos as tear gas thrown

At 19.50 the protesters arrived at the police station. Some protesters could be seen holding banners supporting a republic.

Panupong said the police had until 20.30 to release those arrested, or protesters would break into the station.

At 20.28 a commotion took place behind and beside the police station. Protesters clashed with crowd control police who had just arrived. The sound of explosions could be heard and the use of tear gas was reported.

Panupong encouraged people who were ready to deal with the clash to go to the front line. People could be seen passing water to the front in order to counteract the effects of tear gas.

At 20.48, the two remaining arrested protesters were released on 5,000 baht bail each. A tear gas canister was found behind the police station at the clash site, but police denied the use of tear gas.

However, many people who were residing and eating in a community there dispersed in chaos as they felt the tear gas sensation.

At 21.03 the protests dispersed. 16 and 19 February are designated as the next protest dates with a 'street no-confidence motion' to parallel the no-confidence motion in parliament on the same dates.

Prachatai

On 10 February 2021, environmental rights defenders Samsir and Syamsul Bahri were arrested by the Tanjung Pura Police for their alleged involvement in the physical assault of an individual on18 December 2020. Both defenders are currently being held at the Langkat Police detention centre in Stabat.Samsir and Syamsul Bahri are environmental rights defenders and chairpersons of the Tani NipahGroup. The group works on the restoration and rehabilitation of the natural environment, by planting Rizophora and Nipah mangroves, and opening up water channels to better irrigate areas habited by the local communities. As environmental rights defenders, both have been actively involved in the preservation of the local environment and the fight against exploitation of the area.On 10 February 2021, the Tanjung Pura Police called in Samsir and Syamsul Bahri to record their statements in relation to their alleged involvement in an incident of assault that took place on 18December 2020. Later the same day, an arrest warrant was issued against the two defenders charging them under Article 170 of the penal code with ‘committing violence against persons or property’, in conjunction with Articles 55 and 56 of the Indonesian Penal Code which concerns‘giving order/influence to a crime’ and ‘assisting to commit a crime’. Following the issuing of the warrant, Samsir and Syamsul Bahri were arrested at the police station and sent to the Langkat Police detention centre for 20 days. The Tani Nipah Group believes that the case against the defenders has been fabricated as a form of intimidation for their environmental protection work.On 18 December 2020, the complainant in the assault case, along with another person, both of whom are believed to be affiliated to a palm oil company, approached and photographed the Tani Nipah Group while they were planting mangroves and cleaning up the areas managed by the community. Noticing the outsiders, Syamsul Bahri approached them and asked why they were documenting of the group’s work. The environmental rights defender was reportedly met with arrogant responses from the complainant. The commotion attracted other members of the Tani Nipah Group group to the scene, prompting the complainant to walk away. The complainant was then overheard informing an unknown individual on a call that he had been assaulted. After making the call, the complainant jumped into the nearby river. For fear that he might drown, members of the group immediately took a boat out to save him. They then questioned the complainants claimthat he had been attacked, after which the complainant immediately retracted his statement. The Tani Nipah Group has a video of the complainant retracting the assault accusation. The palm oil company that the complainant is believed to be affiliated with owns 65 hectares of land in the region. It is suspected that the company also has illegal palm oil plantations in the area.The Tani Nipah group and environmental defenders believe that the intimidation is being directed by the company because of the group’s work in protecting the mangrove forest environment.Samsir and Syamsul Bahri and the Tani Nipah group have been the target of threats and harassment in the past for their environmental protection work. In 2016, Syamsul Bahri was shot byan unknown individual just after he started working with the Tani Nipah Group. In 2017, Syamsul Bahri and his wife were hit and badly injured by an unknown motorcyclist. On several occasions,trees planted by the Tani Nipah Group group have been cut down. While formal complaints have been registered with the police, no action has been taken to find perpetrators of the aforementioned harassments.

FLD

A court in Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, has sentenced a man to 10 days in jail for picketing the Chinese Consulate to demand information about his brother, who is in custody in China's northwestern region of Xinjiang.

The court on February 10 found Baibolat Kunbolatuly guilty of violating the law on mass gatherings and sent him to jail for 10 days.

A day earlier, Kunbolatuly and nine other people, mainly women, picketed the Chinese Consulate in Almaty, demanding their relatives be released from so-called reeducation camps in Xinjiang. Some of the protesters said their relatives have been prevented from leaving China for Kazakhstan to join their families, while some said their loved ones have been held incommunicado in Xinjiang for years.

Kunbolatuly's mother, Zauatkhan Tursyn, was in front of the Chinese Consulate with several other women again on February 10, the third day in a row of such protests.

"China incarcerated one of my sons, Kazakhstan jailed another. I demand from Chinese authorities to release my son Baimurat, and I demand Kazakh authorities release my son Baibolat," Tursyn chanted in front of the consulate, holding pictures of her son.

Other women were holding pictures of their relatives and had posters saying "China, Stop Genocide."

An Almaty city official and police were monitoring the protest, but did not interfere.

A consulate security officer appeared to remove a piece of electronic equipment with multiple antennas from the building as reporters covered the event live. After he emerged, the journalists said their Internet connection stopped working.

A security official denied the removal of the piece of equipment had anything to do with the Internet outage.

Many similar protests have taken place in Kazakhstan in recent years, with demonstrators demanding Kazakh authorities officially intervene in the situation faced by ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang.

The U.S. State Department has said as many as 2 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and members of Xinjiang's other indigenous, mostly Muslim, ethnic groups have been taken to detention centers.

China denies that the facilities are internment camps.

People who have fled the province say that thousands of ethnic Kazakhs, Uyghurs, and other Muslims in Xinjiang are undergoing "political indoctrination" at a network of facilities known officially as reeducation camps.

Kazakhs are the second-largest Turkic-speaking indigenous community in Xinjiang after Uyghurs. The region is also home to ethnic Kyrgyz, Tajiks, and Hui, also known as Dungans. Han, China's largest ethnicity, is the second-largest community in Xinjiang.

RFERL

A Chinese businesswoman was sentenced to three years’ jail on Tuesday, according to her supporters, after she spoke out in defence of dissident law professor Xu Zhangrun , who has openly criticised the Communist Party and President Xi Jinping . Geng Xiaonan , 46, and her husband Qin Zhen, as well as employees of her private publishing company, stood trial at the Haidian District People’s Court in Beijing after the couple were detained in September and investigated for “illegal business operations”.

There was a heavy police presence outside the court and supporters said they were barred from entering. Friends including Xu and activists Ji Feng and Yan Zhengxue were stopped by the authorities from leaving their homes to attend the hearing.

The trial was broadcast live by the Haidian court but footage was taken down from its website after it was viewed more than 80,000 times and it did not release a statement on the case.

After asking the court to disregard her legal defence, Geng pleaded guilty to charges including conducting illegal business activities, according to a video of the trial that was captured and posted online.

In pleading guilty, Geng asked the court for leniency in the cases of her husband and staff, saying they had been “forced to carry out orders from their boss”. She also contradicted her legal defence and claimed to have been “the sole proprietor and decision maker” of the publishing company since 2001.

“I would really appreciate it if the court would be lenient on them and target all of the sentencing burden on me alone,” Geng said.

She also asked the court to consider giving her a lighter sentence on humanitarian grounds since she is the only child of, and supports, her disabled war veteran father who lives alone.

Qin, Geng’s husband, was sentenced to 2½ years in prison, suspended for three years.

A number of Geng’s supporters, including prominent liberal intellectual Guo Yuhua, went to the Haidian court but were blocked from entering. Witnesses said more than a dozen police vehicles were parked outside the court, and Geng’s lawyers had been warned not to speak to the media. Dissident Ji said he had been told by state security personnel on Monday evening to stay at home the next day. “Two officers came to my house in the morning and stopped me from leaving. The same thing happened to Xu Zhangrun ,” Ji said by phone.

He said Geng had been indicted over illegal business activities involving 200,000 copies of mostly cookery books for which the full publishing rights had not been obtained.

“‘Illegal business activities’ is just an alternative charge to ‘inciting state subversion’ when it comes to entrepreneurs who are critical of China’s political ecology,” Ji said. “The purpose is to intimidate, silence and cut off all social networks they have with political dissidents in a bid to isolate them.”

Geng, who is also an art curator and film producer, was detained, along with her husband, two months after she had spoken out in support of Xu. He had been detained by police for “patronising prostitutes” during a trip which Geng organised for a group of academics including Xu to the southwestern city of Chengdu last year.

Xu, who has since been released but cannot leave Beijing, denies the charges and has hired lawyers to clear his name. After he was detained, Xu was sacked by Tsinghua University in Beijing where he had taught law for 20 years. The university also accused Xu of publishing articles since mid-2018 that “seriously violated” its code of conduct. Xu, 57, has written a series of articles criticising the authorities in recent years, taking aim at Communist Party leaders over the decision to remove the two-term limit on the presidency – allowing Xi to remain as president after 2023 – and the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

SCMP

Government prosecutors are blocking the release of journalist Lady Ann Salem and labor organizer Rodrigo Esparago despite the local court’s dismissing the charges against them last Feb. 5.

The City Prosecutor Office of Mandaluyong, on behalf of the Philippine National Police, filed on Feb. 9 an opposition to the urgent motion for release filed by Salem’s lawyers from the Public Interest Law Center (PILC).

The prosecutors claimed that the decision of the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court Branch 209 is not yet final, thus, Salem and Esparago could not yet be released.

Salem’s lawyers disagreed, saying that “the rules on criminal proceedings require that a judgment of acquittal, whether ordered by the trial or the appellate court, is final, unappealable, and immediately executory upon its promulgation.”

“The dismissal of the cases, drawn upon the quashal of the search warrant and consequential declaration that the seized evidence is inadmissible as evidence, is one tantamount to an acquittal,” PILC said in its reply.

“The Order of the Honorable Court, being an adjudication on the merits, is final and executory,” Salem’s lawyers asserted.

Salem, editor of Manila Today and communications officer of the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT), and Esparago were arrested on December 10 last year. They were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

On Feb. 5, Judge Monique Quisumbing-Ignacio dismissed the charges, noting “numerous inconsistencies and contradictions” in the sworn statements and testimonies cited in the search warrant.

Bulatlat

A 22-year-old Chin student activist is among five young people who were arrested on Tuesday night for taking part in a protest in Rakhine against last week’s coup.

Police came to Mai Yadanar Aung’s home in Ann township at 9.30pm and took her away without a warrant, according to the woman’s mother, Tin Tin Aung.

“They came and asked her to come along with them to the police station. But since she didn’t do anything wrong, I asked them why she had to. Then they said she was involved in the protest,” Tin Tin Aung said.

“I couldn't sleep the whole night. At first I considered not letting them take my daughter, but I was concerned she would be arrested forcibly, so I let them take her thinking they might release her on bail,” she added.

Police were due to bring her to the township court on Wednesday to be remanded in custody. Family members went to the police station on Wednesday morning to try to see her but police wouldn’t let them inside, citing Covid-19 regulations.

Ann township is where the Myanmar military’s Western Command is located.

Four other young people were being detained at the station for protesting, Tin TIn Aung said. Myanmar Now was unable to verify their names.

Mai Yadanar Aung is a third year student studying Chemistry at Sittwe University and secretary of a group called Chin University Students in Rakhine State (CUSR).

Young people and students began protests against the new military dictatorship in Ann township yesterday for the first time, said Mai Khaing Zin May Than, CUSR’s chair. The arrests began within hours.

“They are finding and arresting the protesters. Some of my sisterhood friends are still hiding,” she said.

Because of the arrest, parents in town told their children not to join the protests on Wednesday, Mai Khaing Zin May Than said.

“This is a human rights violation,” she added. “In Ann, not all the people are involved in the protests. The participants are mostly Chin ethnic girls.”

About a thousand mostly young people joined Tuesday’s protest in Ann, Tin Tin Aung said.

Myanmar Now

Police in Myanmar have fired rubber bullets and used teargas against protesters defying a ban on large gatherings, in an escalation of the military government’s response to demonstrations against last week’s coup.

Witnesses in Naypyidaw, the remote capital purpose-built by the previous military regime, said police fired rubber bullets at protesters after earlier blasting them with water cannon. A doctor at a clinic in the city told Reuters three people were being treated for suspected rubber bullet wounds.

Earlier, officers had used water cannons to beat back the crowd, and demonstrators had responded by throwing projectiles. Footage on social media showed people running, with the sound of several gunshots in the distance.

Opponents of the 1 February coup gathered in towns and cities across the country for a fourth day of protests on Tuesday, including in Yangon and Mandalay, where evening curfews have been instituted and gatherings of more than five people are banned.

Teargas was used against crowds in Mandalay, where police arrested at least 27 anti-coup demonstrators, including a journalist, media organisations said. A journalist from the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) said he was detained after filming the rally. He said people were beaten. Two media organisations also confirmed the arrests.

The military takeover followed an election in November decisively won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) that army leaders claim was fraudulent. The detention of Aung San Suu Kyi sparked outrage across the south-east Asian country of 53 million, and a growing civil disobedience movement affecting hospitals, schools and government offices.

Demonstrations were also held on Tuesday in other cities, including Bago - where city elders negotiated with police to avoid a violent confrontation - and Dawei, and in northern Shan state.

In Magwe in central Myanmar, where water cannons were also used, unconfirmed reports on social media claimed several police officers had crossed over to join the protesters’ ranks. A police officer in Naypyidaw was also said to have switched sides.

As large crowds again gathered near Sule Pagoda in downtown Yangon, one witness estimated there were tens of thousands on the streets by mid morning. Martial law and rumours of incoming soldiers had created an atmosphere of unease, but protesters were determined. Myanmar coup protests grow – in pictures

Pyae Phyo, 33, was gathered with his friends from the Myanmar Seamen Union under the shade of a tree near Sule Pagoda.

“Because of last night’s martial law announcement I thought people may not come,” he said. “But they have come. I am so proud of my people. Every day we will come here. Every day we aren’t free we will protest peacefully for our real leaders, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and president U Win Myint.”

Earlier Win, 37, a street food vendor, said “Today I heard troops were on their way from Naypyidaw, but that won’t stop the protests.”

The protesters carried anti-coup placards including, “We want our leader”, in reference to Aung San Suu Kyi, and, “No dictatorship”.

Pockets of ambulances manned by a network of volunteer doctors and medical workers were stationed near Sule Pagoda.

Myat Moe Lwin, 25, a graduate doctor, and his colleague Kaung Pyae Sone Thin, 25, were waiting near the ambulances and were prepared to aid protesters injured by water cannon.

“We need to be ready,” he said. “So many people are protesting against the coup. We had to help if there are any problems. It is our professional duty.”

In San Chaung township in Yangon – where large gatherings were banned – scores of teachers marched on the main road, waving a defiant three-finger salute that has become the trademark of resistance to the coup.

“We are not worried about their warning. That’s why we came out today. We cannot accept their excuse of vote fraud. We do not want any military dictatorship,” teacher Thein Win Soe told AFP.

There was confusion over the reach of section 144 of the penal code, which bans gatherings of five or more people. State newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar announced that two townships in Yangon and others in Mandalay, Sagaing and Kayah state would be subject to the curfew but some believed it was nationwide.

The US embassy said it had received reports of an 8pm to 4am local time curfew in the two biggest cities, Yangon and Mandalay.

Promises on Monday from junta leader Min Aung Hlaing to eventually hold a new election have drawn scorn. In his first address since seizing power, he repeated unproven accusations of fraud in last November’s election. He promised “true and disciplined democracy,” different from previous eras of military rule which left Myanmar in isolation and poverty.

“We will have a multiparty election and we will hand the power to the one who wins in that election, according to the rules of democracy,” he said.

Min Aung Hlaing gave no time frame for the proposed vote, but the junta has said a state of emergency will last one year.

The military also released a statement on state TV on Monday warning that opposition to the junta was unlawful Western governments have widely condemned the coup, although there has been little concrete action. The UN security council has called for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other detainees. The UN human rights council will hold a special session on Friday to discuss the crisis, at the behest of Britain and the European Union.

Guardian

A crowd of around 500 gathered at the Pathumwan Skywalk yesterday evening (9 February), after the Criminal Court denied bail for activists Parit Chiwarak, Anon Nampa, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, and Patiwat Saraiyaem, who are being detained in prison pending trial and have been taken to the Bangkok Remand Prison.

A spokesperson for the state prosecutor has announced that cases has been filed against Anon Nampa, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, Patiwat Saraiyaem and Parit Chiwarak under Section 112 of the Criminal Code for giving speeches about the monarchy in protests during 2020, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

The cases stem from 2 separate events. The first is the 19-20 September protest at Thammasat University and Sanam Luang for which all four have been charged under the lèse majesté law, the sedition law (Section 116 of the Criminal Code), and the Act on Ancient Monuments, Antiques, Objects of Art and National Museums.

The second is the ‘mobfest’ protest at the Democracy Monument on 14 November for which only Parit has been charged. Sulak Sivaraksa, a Thai historian and Somchai Homlaor, a human rights lawyer are reportedly listed as witnesses.

iLaw reports that bail has been denied by the court, which ruled that the cases carry heavy sentences and the four have a tendency to repeat the offences. They will be detained in prison pending trial.

The detention during trial means they will be imprisoned indefinitely until the trial is over unless the bail would be granted at some point along the way.

The sedition and lèse majesté charges relate to their speeches, and the Act on Ancient Monuments has been invoked with regard to their installation of the 2021 People’s Party Plaque, a small metal plaque inspired by the People’s Party Plaque, a material symbol of the 1932 revolution which marked the change of regime in Siam from absolute monarchy to democracy.

The 2021 People’s Party Plaque was installed on Sanam Luang, which is recognized as an archaeological site.

These are the first lèse majesté cases to have finally made their way to the courts since the mass arrests and prosecutions after Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha vowed in November 2020 to use ‘every law’ to deal with the pro-democracy protesters who have been rallying for political and monarchy reform.

All other cases are still under police investigation.

According to THLR, at least 58 people have been charged under Section 112 in 44 cases. 23 cases were filed by ordinary citizens, 3 by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and the rest by the police.

Human rights lawyer Anon, activist Somyot, student Parit and mor lam singer Patiwat are well-known political activists who have been rallying for monarchy reform and Thai democratization.

Prachatai | Prachatai

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), the specialised investigation agency under the revenue department, started its raid at eight locations of the digital news portal on February 9 in response to a Delhi Police First Information Report(FIR) alleging Newsclick was involving in a money laundering operation. Police alleged Newsclick received foreign funding of ₹30 crore (USD 4.1 million) from a now “defunct US company". Raids also targeted six staff members’ residences the same night while Newsclick offices search stretched out over 38 hours. The raid at the home of editor-in-chief and founder, Prabir Purkayastha, lasted 113 hours, ending finally at 1.30 am on February 14. During the raid, ED officials blocked 73-year-old Prakayastha from leaving his house. ED officials are yet to disclose any findings from the raids.

During the raid, ED officials seized communication devices of Newclick directors and senior management which impacted their ability to continue regular work. In a statement on February 10, Newsclick said it fully cooperated with officials. It however, claims that the raid was an attempt to silence those who refuse to toe the Indian establishment line.

NewsClick revealed that staff and shareholders whose homes were raided were also questioned about their links to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the recent farmers’ protests and jailed rights activist Gautam Navlakha. Reports suggest the raid was a retaliation for Newclick’s ground reports and analytical videos from the recent farmers’ movement in India.

Such raids are a routine tactic and practice of the Modi government, by which government agencies are used to intimidate journalists and suppress adversarial journalism. The government has a pattern of misusing laws such as sedition and defamation law, the Disaster Management Act, the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Information Technology Act, among others to silence the critics and harass dissidents. In October 2018, India’s Income Tax Department also raided the offices of respected news website The Quint.

IFJ

On February 7, demonstrations against the military coup intensified. This morning thousands of activists, students and civilians took part in protests in Rangoon and across the country, and Min Ko Naing, 88 Generation Student Leader, arrived and stood among the protesters. Demonstrations were held at Rangoon, Bago, Mandalay, Sagaing, Ayeyarwady, Tanintharyi and Magway Regions, Naypyidaw, Mon, Shan, Karen and Kachin States. Protests were peaceful and non-violent, and police blocked the roads for protestors and watched the situation, though there were no violent crackdowns.

When police fired in the air at protestors in Myawaddy Town in Karen State, rioting broke out and a total of 14 civilians (5 women and 9 men) including former female political prisoner Khin Htar were arrested. By 6:30pm, they all were released. A woman was also shot during the protest in Myawaddy. The 8pm symbolic peaceful “Drumming out of Evil” continued across the country in opposition to the military junta.

AAPP

Yesterday, national security officers of the Hong Kong Police Force arrested Wan on four charges of “doing an act with a seditious intention,” a criminal offense under the territory’s colonial-era sedition law, according to news reports.

Wan, who broadcasts under the name “Giggs,” hosts a show on the internet radio channel D100 that reports and comments on political issues in mainland China and Hong Kong, including on the arrest of Apple Daily newspaper founder Jimmy Lai. D100 is an independent station that has about 510,000 followers on its YouTube channel and about 59,000 followers on its Facebook page.

If convicted of sedition, Wan could face a fine of up to $5,000 Hong Kong dollars (US$644) and up to two years in jail for a first offense, and up to three years in jail for subsequent offenses, according to Hong Kong’s Crimes Ordinance.

“Hong Kong authorities’ use of sedition charges against radio host Wan Yiu-sing amounts to a government assault on press freedom and freedom of speech,” said Steven Butler, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator, in Washington, D.C. “Wan should be freed with all charges dropped, and the government should halt its ridiculous efforts to block political criticism by journalists.”

The charges stem from comments Wan made on four shows between August and October 2020, which police allege had an intent to incite hatred or contempt towards the People’s Republic of China and the Hong Kong government, and to instigate Hong Kongers to illegally seek changes to the city’s lawful orders, according to news reports.

The Hong Kong Police Force did not immediately respond to CPJ’s emailed request for comment.

Wan felt unwell in police custody last night and has been hospitalized, according to reports. He was originally scheduled to attend a court hearing today, but it has been adjourned to February 11, according to those reports.

Journalists in Hong Kong have faced increasing repression and harassment since the passage of the new national security law on July 1, 2020, as CPJ has documented. On December 11, Hong Kong authorities charged Lai with foreign collusion under that law.

CPJ

Detectives have pressed charges against photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol in a case filed with Hazaribagh Police Station under the Digital Security Act.

Sub-inspector Mohammad Rassel Mollah of detective branch of police, and also investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka on Sunday.

In the charge sheet, the IO said the charges brought against Kajol were primarily proved and he should be brought under trial.

Usmin Ara Beli, a member of Bangladesh Jubo Mahila League's Central Committee, filed the case against Kajol on March 10 last year.

Later, Kajol was shown arrested in the case on May 14 last year and he was placed on a three-day remand in the case on June 28 the same year.

On June 23, Kajol was also shown arrested in a case filed against him by ruling party lawmaker Saifuzzaman Shikhor (from Magura-1) with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station under the same act.

He was later shown arrested in another case filed with Kamrangir Char Police Station under the Digital Security Act.

However, investigators are yet to submit any probe report on the two cases filed with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and Kamrangir Char police stations.

Kajol was found by Border Guard Bangladesh in Benapole on May 3, 2020 -- 53 days into his disappearance. He was then arrested initially on charges of trespassing but was granted bail by a Jashore court.

However, on the same day, Kajol was shown arrested under section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure after police informed the court that three more cases against Kajol were pending with different police stations in Dhaka.

The court then sent him to Jashore jail. Later, he was shifted to the jail in Keraniganj.

On December 25, last year, Kajol was released after the High Court granted him bail in all three cases on different dates.

Daily Star

Thousands of farmers blocked major highways and crucial roads across the State around 170 points on Saturday afternoon as part of a national ‘chakka jam’ call given by Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a coalition of farmers’ unions protesting against the three new farm laws.

Police detained protesters at most places where roads were blocked. In Bengaluru, farmers and Kannada organisations blocked roads at two critical junctions – Yelahanka and Mysore Bank Circle – but were detained minutes later. Vehicular movement in these areas was not affected, said the police.

Farmer leader Kuraburu Shantakumar, who led the road block protest at Yelahanka, said the police detained three groups of farmers who tried to block roads one after the other. “Our only demand is that the Union government withdraw the three farm laws. But today's protest is also against how the Union government is treating farmers, booking false cases and using brute force of the police against protesters,” he said.

Farmers blocked Bengaluru-Mysuru highway at Mysuru, Mandya and Ramanagaram, Ballari Road at Devanahalli and Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru-Chennai highway at Kolar, Bengaluru-Bidar highway at Kalaburagi and Shahpura, and several key junctions on Tumakuru Road and in Belagavi, Davanagere, Raichur and Koppal, among other places. At several roadblock points, farmers came with bullock carts and cattle, and in many places even cooked on roads.

A statement from Samyukta Horata - Karnataka, a coalition of farmer, Dalit and progressive organisations, termed the protests in the State a success. They demanded that the Centre immediately stop harassing protesting farmers at the Delhi borders, and heed their demands and withdraw the three farm laws.

Meanwhile, senior Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj condemned Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa for ‘blindly following the diktat of the Centre’.

Hindu

Four leaders of progressive groups were arrested in separate incidents in Butuan City last weekend, according to human rights group Karapatan in Caraga region.

Arrested were community health worker Vilma Dalangin-Yecyec, Gabriela Women’s Partylist Coordinator Gina Tutor, PISTON Spokesperson Isaias “Sayas” Ginorga, and Pamalakaya-Agusan del Norte member Greco Regala.

Police in Caraga claimed in a statement that those arrested are high ranking members of the New People’s Army. Three of them are being implicated in the killing of members of the Manobo tribe and former New People’s Army fighters in the region but rights group assert that all of them are active in the people’s organizations based in the city.

Two of those arrested are both 72 years old. One of them, Yecyec, was arrested on Feb. 6, in Mainit, Surigao del Norte. According to the group, she was taken to Camp Rafael Rodriguez, Butuan City.

Yecyec is suffering from various ailments, according to Karapatan.

The Council for Health and Development condemned the arrest. “Yet again, for perpetually failing to quell people’s resistance against the quagmire of poverty and oppression that breeds disease, state forces went after the unarmed civilian merely doing what she does best from decades ago up to the twilight of her life — serving the people through community-based health work,” CHD said.

On the same day, Tutor also arrested in her home in Buenavista while Regala was arrested in Tubay.

Meanwhile, Ginorga, also 72 years old, was arrested by the Butuan police on Feb. 5.

Ginorga and Tutor are known in Butuan City as leaders of progressive organizations. They were also slapped with trumped-up charges in relation to NPA offensives last year. Two of the charges filed in Surigao del Sur were later dismissed.

Pamalakaya said in a statement that Regala is involved in local campaigns, including the protection of municipal waters against illegal fishing and other destructive projects.

Gabriela Women’s Party, meanwhile, said Tutor has been working with the group in “pushing for pro-women and pro-poor legislation that will benefit Caraga, one of the poorest regions in the country.”

“Gina, along with the other community organizers arrested, are clearly not terrorists. This cruel act of arresting progressive community organizers demonstrates the perils of the Anti-Terror Law against unarmed civilians who are merely voicing out their legitimate concerns amid the crises we are facing,” the group said in a statement.

Bulatlat

Security guards blocked some protesters outside the Phnom Penh Municipal Court from buying breakfast, and told a street vendor of noodles, meatball soup, pork and rice to not sell to them, the protesters alleged on Thursday while rallying on an empty stomach.

Mey Sophorn, 41, and Dos Kimteav, 43, sat in the shade around the corner from City Mall, across the street from the court, around 10 a.m. on Thursday. Kimteav appeared dejected, while Sophorn’s face was hidden behind a surgical mask. They still had not eaten, they said.

“The food vendor would not dare to sell to us,” said Sophorn. “We felt hurt. We had money.”

Just before 8 a.m., the pair, among demonstrators calling for the release of jailed opposition members, initially tried to approach the street seller, stationed outside the mall on Charles de Gaulle Blvd., but was rebuffed by guards, Sophorn said.

“The security guards said that if we didn’t leave, they would stop them from selling,” she added

Kimteav said the guards had argued that the breakfast could turn into a larger gathering of protesters if they sat down around the seller.

One guard then approached the cart, allegedly telling the vendor and her two assistants, “Don’t sell it, don’t sell it, be careful, be careful of not being allowed to sell here,” according to Kimteav.

In recent months, guards have increasingly prohibited gatherings near the court, including confining protesters and journalists to the nearby Olympic Stadium grounds during prominent trial dates.

When VOD arrived at the scene around 10 a.m., five security guards sat on plastic chairs around the vendor eating, and this reporter was also able to order pork and rice with a fried egg.

The street vendor later acknowledged that a guard had spoken to her. If she sold to the women and the women caused trouble, she wouldn’t be allowed to continue her business, the vendor said she was told. The vendor declined to give her name or further details, saying she was afraid she would face problems.

It could not be ascertained for which institution the allegedly breakfast-blocking guards worked.

Chan Rithy, Phnom Penh’s chief of municipal security guards, said he had no information about Thursday’s enforcement. Prampi Makara district governor Lim Sophea and deputy governor Chea Sotheara said they were too busy to comment.

Phnom Penh City Hall spokesperson Met Measpheakdey, however, said he would look into the case. He said he needed more time to find out if the allegations were true.

“I will research and ask them if there was such a case or not, so I can comment,” Measpheakdey said on Thursday.

Reached on Friday, the spokesperson said he had checked with local authorities and none had reported the incident described by the two protesters, although Measpheakdey did not specify which authorities he asked about the alleged breakfast ban.

“There is no such case. I do not know​ which security guards would have led them to make these claims. No one forbids anyone to eat. It seems wrong,” he said.

Am Sam Ath, monitoring manager for human rights group Licadho, said that if the protesters’ account was accurate, the actions of a couple of guards could tarnish the image of authorities as a whole.

“There is no right to ban anyone from selling or eating,” he said. “There can be no ban on eating.”

VOD Hotnews

Police in Kazakhstan's northwestern city of Oral have prevented journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov and several activists from traveling to the western city of Atyrau, where they planned to greet outspoken government critic Maks Boqaev upon his release from prison on February 4.

Activists in Oral told RFE/RL that Akhmedyarov, the chief editor of the independent newspaper Uralskaya Nedelya, was stopped by police on his way to Atyrau on February 3 and held for questioning in an unspecified case.

Akhmedyarov placed a video on Facebook showing the moment of his detention as he argued with police, saying that he had received a subpoena ordering him to show up on February 5 at a police station for questioning, which he was going to follow and therefore there was no need to hold him.

Four rights activists in Oral, Maqsat Aisauytov, Bekbolat Otebaev, Bauyrzhan Alipqaliev, and Orynbai Oqasov, also were summoned to the police on February 4. They say they were ordered to come to the police so that they were unable to travel to Atyrau on that day to attend Boqaev's release.

The police department in Oral told RFE/RL that the activists and Akhmedyarov were summoned over "a classified criminal case."

"Kazakhstan authorities are once again trying to prevent journalists from reporting on public interest issues, and this time they have targeted editor Lukpan Akhmedyarov," Gulnoza Said, Europe and Central Asia program coordinator at the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement.

"Instead of wasting their time detaining and threatening members of the press, authorities should encourage journalists to report on politics and expose corruption," she added.

A day earlier, police in Nur-Sultan, the capital, stopped a vehicle with four rights activists who were on their way to Atyrau, where they also planned to see Boqaev at the moment of his release. Police then impounded the vehicle, citing an unspecified investigation.

The 48-year-old activist Boqaev was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison on extremism charges in 2016 after he organized unsanctioned protests against land reform in Atyrau. While serving his term, Boqaev refused to ask for clemency, insisting that the case against him was politically motivated.

The United States, the European Union, and the United Nations have urged Kazakh authorities to release Boqaev.

Human rights organizations in Kazakhstan have recognized Boqaev as a political prisoner. Kazakhstan's government has insisted that there are no political prisoners in the country.

RFERL

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines expressed their concern over yet another red-tagging incident of a journalist who reported on the plight of Aetas who were tortured to admitting that they are members of the New People’s Army.

The red-tagging of Philippine Daily Inquirer reporter Tetch Torres-Tupas took place just two days after petitioners against the Philippine terror law raised its dangers.

On February 3, 2021, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., labeled Inquirer.net journalist Tetch Torres-Tupas a propagandist over her story “Tortured Aetas seek SC help against anti-terror law”, saying she should have “[checked] the side of the [Armed Forces of the Philippines] and [government] if what you are reporting is true or fake.”

“Congratulations for a sloppy work Tetch Torres-Tupaz of Inquirer.net. You did not even bother to check the side of the [Armed Forces of the Philippines] and [government] if what you are reporting is true or fake. Propagandista. No such thing happened. That unit is not even there but in Davao,” Parlade’s Facebook post read.

Parlade’s post was referring to an August 2020 incident where Philippine soldiers allegedly detained and beat three Indigenous people in Zambales province.

However, the story penned by Torres-Tupas touches on the petition-in-intervention filed by Aeta farmers Japer Gurung and Junior Ramos on February 2, 2021 and the allegations made in that petition.

A social media user also commented in Filipino asking, “Sir, can we file charges against them?,” to which Parlade replied: “Aiding the terrorists by spreading lies? Yes.”

In another post, the lieutenant general asks if Torres-Tupas referenced “propaganda machines of the [Communist Party of the Philippines],” with an attached photo of links directing to the websites of Human Rights Watch and Kodao Productions.

The NUJP reiterated that while the government has issued reassurances that the ATA will not be used to stifle dissent or clamp down on the press, statements and actions similar to what Parlade has shown holds more value than the press statements.

The group added, “the Facebook post against Torres-Tupas, are threats directed not only at those questioning the ATA but also at those covering the controversial law.”

The NUJP expressed fears that government inaction on the threat against Tupas and on similar threats against journalists and activists would signify that the government is consenting and even endorsing such actions, contrary to the claim that the ATA will not target government critics.

Justice and Court Reporters Association (Jucra) also condemned Parlade’s threat against Tupas saying that it is “utterly unacceptable.”

In a statement the group said journalists at the justice beat also reported the same story which is based on two Aeta’s petition for intervention. “Should we all wait for threat from Parlade too?”

“Had Parlade also done his research and listened to the oral arguments, he would have known that posts like these are what petitioners claim as evidence of a credible threat of prosecution – threat that can warrant a judicial review of the law he seeks to protect and promote,” JUCRA said in a statement.

National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers president Edre Olalia also said Parlade’s threat against Tupas is validating the myriad of objections and criticisms against the ATA.

“This is a big favor he is giving us which is awfully unwelcome and outrageously unacceptable. Thanks but no thanks,” Olalia said.

Bulatlat | NUPL

Authorities in the central Chinese province of Henan have struck off a human rights lawyer after he tried to represent one of the 12 Hong Kong protesters detained by the China Coast Guard as they tried to flee to the democratic island of Taiwan.

Ren Quanniu received a notice from the Henan provincial bureau of judicial affairs on Tuesday informing him that his license to practice had been revoked on the grounds that he "used a cult to undermine the law" in November 2018.

The letter said Ren had "seriously damaged the image of the legal profession" after he defended a member of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement, which has been designated an "evil cult" by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Ren said he didn't believe the reason stated in the letter was the main factor behind the decision, however.

"One factor was my involvement in the Hong Kong 12 case, which was much deeper [than in the other case]," he told RFA on Tuesday. "The other was [my defense of citizen journalist] Zhang Zhan."

"I gave a lot of media interviews about those two cases, so I think they are more likely to have been the main reasons," Ren said.

Authorities in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan have already suspended the license of fellow rights attorney Lu Siwei, citing his public comments on the case of the 12 Hong Kong activists detained at sea in August 2020.

'Inappropriate remarks'

Judicial authorities in Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu moved on Jan. 4 to strike Lu off, alleging that he made "inappropriate remarks" in public about the case, thereby "breaking Chinese law and professional guidelines for lawyers."

None of the attorneys hired by the families of the 12 detainees was allowed to see their clients, who had lawyers appointed for them by the local government instead.

Ren also defended Zhang Zhan, who was sentenced to four years' imprisonment in December 2020 for posting reports from Wuhan during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the city.

She was found guilty of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," a charge frequently used to target critics of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), on the basis that she had published "false information" about the pandemic on social media sites.

Ren had given media interviews detailing her physical condition as she engaged in a hunger strike in protest at her treatment.

No regrets

Ren, who is now effectively barred from working as a lawyer in China, said he has no regrets, however.

"I think that rights lawyers in mainland China should stand with the people of Hong Kong, even if it means that they wind up losing their licenses," Ren said. "Hong Kong people have always been at the forefront of Chinese people's hopes for their own society."

"So many paid a heavy price and were arrested, and the [authorities'] persecution [of activists] has been pretty serious," he said. "I had no hesitation [in taking the case] and felt we should do our best to help them."

Hong Kong rights lawyer Albert Ho, who heads the Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group, said the suspension of Lu and Ren's licenses are the latest in a long litany of actions taken by the CCP against human rights lawyers in China, starting with a nationwide police operation in July 2015.

"If lawyers have no protection for their own rights, then how can they defend their clients' rights?" Ho said. "How does one defend disadvantaged groups who have no legal knowledge at all?"

"Things are moving towards a state of lawlessness [in China], slowly inching back towards the Cultural Revolution," he said, in a reference to an era of political violence and social turmoil from 1966 to 1976 under late supreme leader Mao Zedong and the Gang of Four.

RFA

Shortly after Thais and Myanmarese staged a protest against the coup by the Myanmar military this afternoon, they were dispersed by the Royal Thai Police with shields and batons. 3 people were arrested.

The 3 were taken to Yannawa Police Station: one is a member of the volunteer protest guard group We Volunteer, one a student from Thammasat University and the other an ordinary citizen.

Kath Khangpiboon, a lecturer from Thammasat University, accompanied the arrested student in the police car to the police station and stayed there.

Another gathering took place at the Pathumwan Skywalk where 3 students distributed leaflets in opposition to the coup in Myanmar.

In response to the coup and detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, the de-facto leader of the NLD-led administration, along with NLD politicians and candidates countrywide, some Myanmar citizens gathered in front of the Myanmar Embassy to Thailand at around 15.00, many wearing red shirts and carrying NLD flags, banners or portraits of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Some also raised the 3-finger salute, an anti-dictatorship gesture used in Thai pro-democracy protests. We Volunteer also participated in the protest.

Political activists including Parit Chiwarak and Panussaya Sitthijirawattanakul and political figures including Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Pannika Wanich and Amarat Chokepamitkul were also present.

At around 17.00, police with batons and shields arrived at the scene and swiftly dispersed the protesters. Loud, explosive-like sounds were reportedly heard and smoke flares were seen in the live footage from THE MATTER. Border town in stockpile rush, peace process may be delayed

A source from Tachileik, a town in Shan State bordering Chiang Rai Province, said people there found out about the coup at dawn. Myanmar soldiers had been deployed along the border since 01.00. The 2nd Thai-Myanmar friendship bridge that is regularly open for trade was closed.

Airports and banks were reportedly closed. The internet and telecommunications were cut, although those using Thai internet services in the border town are still able to access the internet. People were seen stockpiling supplies in panic.

BBC Myanmar reported that ATM machines were not functioning.

Khuensai Jaiyen, founder of the Shan Herald Agency for News, a Chiang Mai-based news agency reporting on Shan State news, and Director of the Pyidaungsu Institute, a research centre supporting the Myanmar peace process, said the military seizure of power was made under Section 417 of the Myanmar constitution which allows the military to take control of the administration after declaring a state of emergency.

Khuensai said that in the eyes of the military, their action was not considered a coup as the constitution still remains intact, but the international community will see it as a coup, which will inform their attitude toward the military’s decision.

Khuensai has participated in the peace process steering committee and believes that the process will be delayed. The military is likely to prioritize quelling the conflicts in the townships first, with the border and ethnic issues to be addressed later. Activists, political parties in Thailand opposing the coup

In Chiang Mai in the north where many Myanmar people live and work, activists staged a demonstration at the Rin Kham intersection. They demanded that ASEAN member countries boycott the military government and also called for the unconditional release of those detained in Myanmar after the coup.

The pro-democracy protest group Ratsadon (the people) also published a statement denouncing the overthrow of democracy and violation of people’s rights. They demanded that ASEAN member countries uphold the ASEAN Charter, that defines its regional pact by expressing protection for democracy and human rights.

Before the election victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in 2015, Chiang Mai was where many Myanmar civil organizations and media took refuge and established a base. Many returned to Myanmar after the NLD victory. It is not known whether their return is possible due to the current Thai-Myanmar border shutdown.

Thai opposition parties like Pheu Thai and Move Forward Party also released statements denouncing the coup for violating the people’s rights, liberties and political will expressed by their votes. They also demanded the immediate unconditional release of those detained.

No government party including Palang Pracharat has yet expressed any opinion regarding the coup in Myanmar.

Prachatai | Prachatai

LGBTQ rights activist Nada Chiyajit says she has received threats of violence and transphobic messages after she gave legal assistant to a young transwoman who was allegedly blackmailed by a reporter.

Nada said that she was contacted by the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand (RSAT) on 27 January, about the case of “Looknoo” (pseudonym), a transwoman in Loei who was on local news after she ate at a shabu shabu restaurant and did not pay.

On 27 January, the RSAT contacted Nada saying that Looknoo was being threatened by a man claiming to be a reporter seeking an interview. At that point the incident with the restaurant was already settled, as Looknoo had apologized to the owner and paid what she owed. Looknoo therefore refused to be interviewed. She also felt her family has been affected enough by what happened.

ลงโฆษณากับประชาไท ประชาไท Nada said that the man threatened Looknoo and tried to blackmail her into giving an interview, telling her that he knows about money she owes 16 people as a result of mistakes in managing her business, and that she owes money to the hotel she was staying at. The man told Looknoo that he will publish the story if she does not let him interview her and let him coordinate the settlement between her and the people she owes money to.

He also found out her personal details, contacted her family, and waited in front of her house. Looknoo started recording her phone calls with him out of fear that she would face further threats. She then asked the RSAT for legal assistance and travelled to Bangkok to meet Nada, who is a legal advisor.

Nada said she called the man and spoke to him. At first, he claimed to be working for many news agencies and did not give her his full name, but when Nada pressed further, he claimed to be from Thairath TV.

Nada said she does not understand why the reporter was so intent on getting an interview with Looknoo, as the incident with the restaurant has already been settled, and the other disputes can be settled via legal means. She said that, during the phone call, he was very angry that he was refused the interview and told her not to interfere. Nada said the man said to her "I drove 300 km there. She can't refuse to let me interview her. Who am I? Who is this katoey? She's a liar. If I publish this information, she might even die."

Nada also spoke to Looknoo’s mother, who said that she paid for Looknoo to stay at the hotel because Looknoo’s stepfather has beaten her for being transgender, and that she has always paid the hotel bill until the family began facing issues due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the family is already in the process of settling the debt. Looknoo’s mother also said that Looknoo started her business at 19 because she felt the need to prove herself in order to be accepted by her own family, but the business failed, leaving her in debt.

On 1 February, both Nada and Looknoo received threatening and transphobic messages from two Facebook accounts, which also included death threats and demands that Looknoo delete the recordings of the phone calls.

The messages Looknoo received said “if the recordings get out, you’ll be in the ground” and “do you want to be in a well?” as well as “I fucking hate katoeys. When will you all be gone?” Meanwhile, one of the message Nada received said “don’t mess with my business and act like a good person helping people if you don’t want to be like that katoey.” This caused concerns for Nada as she read the message to mean that she should stop if she doesn’t want to be “in the ground” or “in a well".

Nada believes the messages to be from the reporter, as it contains details of their conversations and the person who sent the messages knows that Looknoo recorded her phone calls with the reporter.

On Thursday morning (4 February), Nada and Looknoo went with a representative from the Rights and Liberties Protection Department to the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD). However, the TCSD said that the case is not covered by the Computer Crimes Act and that they will have to file a police complaint.

Nada said that she and Looknoo will notify the police, and that the Rights and Liberties Protection Department will make arrangements to ensure their safety. She has lodged a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission, and said that they will also file complaints with journalism trade associations, as well as with the management of Thairath TV.

Nada said that this is the first time she has faced threats of violence as an activist, and that she and Looknoo are both very stressed and fear for their safety. She also said that what happened and the stories published about Looknoo have worsened her domestic violence situation.

Prachatai

A local journalist in Sunamganj, Kamal Hossain, was beaten up and tied to a tree for taking pictures of illegal sand extraction from the bank of a river in Tahirpur upazila of Sunamganj. His face, head, forehead and other parts of his body were severely wounded. The incident took place at noon, Monday, in Ghagtia of ​​Jadukata river in Badaghat union of Tahirpur upazila.

Kamal Hossain is currently undergoing treatment at Tahirpur upazila health complex. He is the Tahirpur upazila correspondent of Daily Sangbad and Daily Shubho Pratidin published from Sylhet.

This Prothom Alo correspondent received a copy of the video of Kamal Hossain being tortured. The video shows him crying out while tied to a tree. He was surrounded by several people and blood was dripping from his forehead. He was begging in the name of Allah to loosen the knot around his wrists, but the people around him were laughing.

Sunamganj district correspondent of Sangbad, Latifur Rahman, said Kamal Hossain worked for several local dailies including Sangbad. Latifur Rahman was looking into the reasons behind the incident.

Talking to the police, family members and the locals, it was revealed that Kamal Hossain went to the area to collect information regarding the illegal sand extraction from the banks of the Jadukata river. he took photographs of the river banks being excavated. Some people reportedly grabbed him and started to beat him up. Kamal was severely injured. Later, the people took him to the nearby Chawkbazar area where they tied him to a tree with a rope. At around 2:30pm, on hearing the news, another local journalist and the family members of Kamal Hossain went to the place with the police from Badaghat police outpost. He was rescued and admitted to Tahirpur upazila health complex.

While undergoing treatment at the health complex, the victim told Prothom Alo over the phone that he took some pictures of extracting sand from the river. Later, he was talking to the locals at a nearby shop. Then Mahmudul Islam, Deen Islam and Rais Uddin of Ghagtia village came and started to beat him up indiscriminately. They struck him with a cleaver ('da') on his forehead. Later, he was tied to a tree.

Kamal Hossain said that while beating him up, the people said the sand extraction was always stopped whenever journalists reported about this and so they would kill him. They will manage the consequences later, they said. They also took away his camera and mobile phone.

Mahmud Ali Shah of Ghagtia village said, the sand extraction from the river is officially closed. However the poor people and day labourers of the area make a living by collecting sand with baskets. He claimed that Kamal went there and demanded Tk 30,000 from the people involved in sand extraction. He said he will manage the police and the administration. Kamal even said the people that they will not be able to do this works without giving him the money. At one stage of the argument, the workers beat him up.

Mahmudul Islam, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Badaghat police outpost in Tahirpur upazila, said that on hearing the news police rushed to the spot and rescued Kamal Hossain. Later he was handed over to his family. Police will investigate the incident and try to find the reason behind this.

Prothom Alo

On 1 February 2020, the Peshawar High Court dismissed human rights defender Idris Khattak's petition challenging the jurisdiction of the Field General Court-Martial on his case. The verdict means that the human rights defender’s trial, which was paused in the Military Court, will now resume. While Pakistan is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the military courts have not met their obligations under ICCPR, with the right to a public hearing not guaranteed, the death penalty being handed out after unfair trials and the absence of right to appeal to civilian courts.

The human rights defender was forcibly disappeared on 13 November 2019. His whereabouts were not known until 17 June 2020, when the Joint Investigation Tribunal in Islamabad, tasked with inquiring into cases of enforced disappearance, informed the human rights defender’s family that he was being held by the Pakistan Military Intelligence and was being tried under the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

FLD

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday filed a first information report against The Wire’s Founding Editor Siddharth Varadarajan for tweeting an article published on the news website reporting that the farmer who was killed during a tractor rally on Republic Day had died in police firing.

The article, published on Friday, cited the family of Navreet Singh. They rejected the Delhi Police’s claims that the farmer had died after his tractor overturned. The family has alleged that the man was shot.

A case under Indian Penal Code Sections 153-B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 505(2) (statements conducing to public mischief) has been filed in the state’s Rampur district. The FIR was filed on a complaint by one Sanju Turaha, a resident of Rampur district, according to The Print.

The FIR referred to Varadarajan’s tweet from Saturday in which he shared The Wire’s article. It stated that report was presented in a manner which made it seem like the doctor, who conducted the autopsy of the farmer, had confirmed that he died of a bullet injury, reported The Print.

“As a result, Rampur’s people have become resentful, and tension has increased,” it added. “This post certainly seems to be a part of a conspiracy to incite violence with the aim of making an unfair profit by harming the general public.”

In the article, Hardeep Singh Dibdiba, Navreet Singh’s grandfather, claimed that one of the doctors told him about a bullet wound. “We were told by the doctor that they have clearly seen the bullet injury, and then we cremated his body peacefully,” Dibdiba was quoted as saying by The Wire. “But we were cheated, as the [postmortem] report that came out did not say that. The doctor even told me that even though he had seen the bullet injury, he can do nothing as his hands are tied.”

However, the doctors have refuted this. The postmortem analysis, done on January 27 at 2 pm, said that the “cause of death is shock and haemorrhage as a result of ante-mortem head injury”. The Delhi Police has also claimed that this was the cause of death. The Rampur district magistrate also clarified that no other official statement was made from the side of the authorities.

The Wire’s report had included these statements by the police and doctors rejecting the family’s claims.

However, the FIR alleged that the article had wrongly quoted the government medical officer in order to “incite” the general public, reported The Print.

It said that Singh’s postmortem was conducted by three panel doctors and was duly videographed. It added that all the three doctors have denied giving any such statement to anybody. “Despite this, the tweet has not been removed yet,” the FIR stated, adding that post was intended to “disturb peace and law and order” by “intentionally posting provocative posts through social media- Twitter without knowing the right facts”. Rampur DM had tweeted the article could cause ‘law and order problem’

On Saturday evening, the Rampur district magistrate responded to Varadarajan’s tweet sharing the article. “We ardently request you to please let’s be sticking to facts and facts only,” he wrote. “We hope our request will be sincerely taken up by you.”

The district magistrate also attached a denial note by the three government medical officers who conducted the postmortem, claiming that none of them had spoken to anybody from the media, or made any statement about the autopsy.

In response, Varadarajan informed the DM that The Wire report had been updated to include the official declaration by the three doctors. To this, the DM responded, “Hope you understand your story could cause a law and order problem here. It has already caused tensed situation here. Responsibility?”

Meanwhile, Varadarajan on Sunday morning reacted to the FIR registered against him. “What’s the IPC [Indian Penal Code] provision for ‘malicious prosecution’,” he asked. “Here is the UP Police indulging in it, filing an FIR against me for tweeting about what the grandfather of farmer who was killed in the tractor parade had said on the record!”

In a separate tweet, the journalist wrote: “In UP, it is a crime for media to report statements of relatives of a dead person if they question a postmortem or police version of cause of death.”

Several states have registered cases against journalists who have reported on the death of the farmer on January 26. The Editors Guild of India has described the action as a concerted attempt to “stifle and harass” media.

The Delhi Police on Saturday became the fifth one to file a case against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and six journalists for allegedly sharing unverified news about Singh’s death.

Besides Tharoor, the police named India Today journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, National Herald’s senior consulting editor Mrinal Pande, Qaumi Awaz editor Zafar Agha, The Caravan magazine’s editor and founder Paresh Nath, The Caravan editor Anant Nath and its executive editor Vinod K Jose.

The Uttar Pradesh Police was the first to file an FIR against the seven in Noida that includes charges of sedition, followed by a similar case filed by the police in Madhya Pradesh. Other FIRs were registered in Gurugram and Bengaluru on Friday, and in Noida on Thursday. Farm law protests

Tens of thousands of farmers have been camped on the edge of New Delhi for over two months, seeking the repeal of agricultural laws passed in September. The protests had largely been peaceful but violence erupted on January 26, when a tractor rally planned to coincide with Republic Day celebrations turned chaotic.

Some protestors broke through barricades and poured into the city, clashing with the police that tried to push them back with tear gas and a baton charge. Besides the death of one protestor, several others, including 300 Delhi Police personnel were also wounded.

The Delhi Police said on Saturday that 84 people have been arrested and 38 first information reports filed so far in connection with the violence.

Several farmer leaders, including Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav and Bharatiya Kisan Union’s Haryana unit President Gurnam Singh Chaduni, were named in one of the FIRs filed by the police.

The police have alleged that farmer leaders made inflammatory speeches, and were involved in the violence during the tractor parade. Farmers have denied the allegations and blamed “antisocial elements” for the chaos.

Scroll

A court in Kazakhstan has upheld a three-year parole restriction on Kazakh activist Maks Boqaev upon his expected release from prison on February 4.

The Atyrau City Court in the country's west on January 29 rejected Boqaev's appeal, saying "the hearing did not find grounds to consider that Maks Boqaev's rights and interests had been violated by the lower court's decision."

Boqaev disputed the lower court's January 22 decision to impose restrictions on him after his release next week, calling the move politically motivated.

The 48-year-old activist was arrested and sentenced to five years on extremism charges in 2016 after he organized unsanctioned protests against land reform in Atyrau.

The United States, European Union, and the United Nations have urged Kazakh authorities to release Boqaev.

Human rights organizations in Kazakhstan have recognized Boqaev as a political prisoner. Kazakhstan's government has insisted that there are no political prisoners in the country.

RFERL

Authorities in the eastern province of Shandong are preparing to revoke the license of a rights lawyer who was hired to defend fellow rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang, as the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues a nationwide clampdown on the legal profession.

Xi Xiangdong, who had been hired to represent Wang after his detention as part of a crackdown on the profession starting in July 2015, was notified by the Shandong provincial department of justice on Thursday that it will likely revoke his license to practise.

Wang told RFA that the authorities were likely retaliating after Xi spoke out against the mistreatment of his client Chi Shengang, an entrepreneur accused of involvement in organized crime.

"Lawyers like Xi Xiangdong tend to stick to the law when it comes to how lawyers should act, so they are likely anger some people, and suffer retaliation for that," Wang said.

He said the authorities are likely taking issue with Xi's attempts to do his job properly.

"If lawyers [like Xi] try to argue their case in court using reason, they see it as a failure to obey the judge," Wang said. "This gives them the excuse they need to retaliate against the lawyer."

According to the authorities, Xi had repeatedly ignored directions from the judge in the case, repeatedly interrupted judges and prosecutors and interfered with court proceedings.

Repeated calls to Xi's phone rang unanswered on Thursday.

"Everything [in the Chinese justice system] works to the detriment of detainees and defendants," Wang said. "Lawyers are forced to toe the line politically, and they have nowhere to turn for help, and can only rely on public opinion."

"In some cases, this means that they will disclose details of cases," he said.

'The courage to expose and criticize'

Henan-based rights lawyer Ren Quanniu, who also faces the loss of his license to practice, said he supported Xi's actions, because he was speaking out in his client's interest.

"Real lawyers have the courage to expose and criticize [the authorities]," Ren said. "You can't say they should remain silent if their clients are being treated illegally, or are in some kind of danger."

He said he fears the authorities will continue to revoke lawyers' licenses as a way of forcing them into compliance.

"Inside sources say that [the CCP] wants to deal with any lawyers who dare to speak out in public," Ren said. "[Xi] won't be the last to be warned, punished or lose his license ... we may be seeing a new purge."

Xi has the right to file an application for a disciplinary hearing, although such a hearing is unlikely to make much difference to the final outcome, according to rights lawyers.

Xi was initially hired by Wang Quanzhang's wife Li Wenzu to represent her husband following his disappearance in July 2015.

But he was later forced to drop the case after the ministry of justice threatened him with arrest.

Earlier this month, authorities in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan suspended the license of rights attorney Lu Siwei at a disciplinary hearing, citing his public comments on the case of the 12 Hong Kong activists detained at sea in August 2020.

Judicial authorities in Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu moved on Jan. 4 to strike Lu off, alleging that he made "inappropriate remarks" in public about the case, thereby "breaking Chinese law and professional guidelines for lawyers."

Ren, who was hired to represent one of the Hong Kong 12 but denied access to his client along with the rest of the attorneys hired by the families, will have his disciplinary hearing on Friday.

RFA

Rights groups and activists at home and abroad Friday denounced China for barring a prominent Chinese democracy and rights activist from leaving for the United States to care for his cancer-stricken wife.

They called the action “inhuman” and said China is a “fascist” state because the activist, Guo Feixiong, is a free man and the communist government has no right to restrict his travel.

Guo launched a hunger strike Thursday to protest after he was stopped at the Shanghai airport.

“I now begin my hunger strike indefinitely at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The customs have officially barred me from leaving the country on suspicion of endangering national security. I urge all the Chinese people and governments around the world to help me,” Guo wrote in a short message to VOA Thursday night, saying that he was being seized by two police officers at customs.

A brutal action

“What a brutal action by the state police and the customs,” he added.

Guo, 54, has since been unreachable, with his whereabouts unknown.

The public security bureau in Shanghai said Friday that it is unable to handle VOA’s inquiry as it is uncertain which unit made the arrest.

Prior to his departure from Guangzhou in south China’s Guangdong province, Guo told VOA he is determined to join his wife, who is in the U.S. and about to begin months of chemotherapy after her cancerous colon tumors were removed during surgery earlier this month.

“I will only stop my hunger strike the minute I’m allowed to board the plane. My life will apparently hang in the hands of the state police if you’re unable to reach me at my cellphone [later]… The [police’s] move is extremely inhuman, and they have to be held legally and morally responsible for my hunger strike,” Guo told VOA a day before his planned flights Thursday.

According to Guo, local police in Guangzhou had warned him on Tuesday about attempting to travel to the U.S. They said that his travel plan was vetoed at the last minute by their higher-ups in the Ministry of Public Security, even though Guo has legally obtained all necessary travel permits from local authorities, including proof of a negative COVID-19 test. The ministry also threatened to send police to intercept him if he made it to the airport in Shanghai on Thursday, he added.

Some kind of agreement

The local police, in addition, demanded that Guo fly to his birthplace in Hubei province and talk with public security officers there to reach “some kind of agreement” – a request Guo said he flatly rejected.

It is widely speculated among Chinese rights lawyers and activists, many of whom are not free to speak, that Chinese authorities want to hold Guo hostage and keep him quiet.

“The police have absolutely no rights to deprive Guo of his freedom to travel. This is outrageous. What harm can dissidents, who travel overseas, do to endanger the regime?” a rights activist surnamed Lee told VOA on condition of anonymity.

Guo, whose real name is Yang Maodong, has been an active rights defender and political dissident since 2005. He had served a total of 11 years in prison on charges such as “picking quarrels and provoking” and “assembling a crowd to disturb order at public places.”

He was last freed from jail in late 2019 after having served a six-year sentence for his participation in a protest against the Guangzhou government’s censorship of a local liberal-leaning publication – the Southern Weekly.

However, Guo remains an outspoken dissident, who has called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to launch political reforms, abide by the country’s constitution and ensure press freedom, while urging the Chinese government to deepen its cooperation with the U.S.

To avoid China’s alleged political persecution, Guo’s wife, Zhang Qing, and their two children fled to the U.S. in 2009 and have been granted political asylum there.

A group of more than 100 dissidents, led by former Tiananmen Square movement leader Wang Dan, signed a petition in support of Guo.

They said, in a press statement, that “given Guo is a free man, China has no rights to keep him from visiting his family overseas whether it is from the legal, human rights or humanitarian perspectives. China’s inhuman move has proved again that its regime is increasingly fascist.”

“We called on western governments to help Guo facilitate his trip through diplomatic avenues,” the statement read.

In particular, Wu’er Kaixi, another Tiananmen student leader who also signed the petition, called on U.S. President Joe Biden and his administration to extend a helping hand to Guo.

Calls on U.S. to take action

“President Biden has and [Secretary of State] Mr. [Antony] Blinken has also strongly reiterated their stance against China, based on values, … We want to see action following [their] very well-said statement. And we want to see action to help Guo Feixiong and that action will ratify those statements,” Wu’er told VOA.

The former Tiananmen activist, who now lives in Taipei, said that many in Taiwan are also “outraged” about China’s disapproval of Guo’s travel – a move he said “was against the minds and hearts of all mankind.”

Several other rights groups, including the Hong Kong-based China Human Rights Lawyers Concerned Group, the U.S.-based Human Rights Lawyers of China and the Taipei-based New School for Democracy, all denounced China’s restriction on Guo’s ability to travel freely.

The restriction “is inhuman and it is also a reprisal to legal activists in China,” Du Song of the Hong Kong-based rights group said in a written reply to VOA, urging China to quickly reverse its decision.

In a press statement, the U.S.-based rights group expressed concern over Guo’s health.

“We’re deeply concerned about his health and life after he has staged another indefinite hunger strike. Guo was once on hunger strike in 2014 for a long time, which had taken a toll on his physical condition… We urge all relevant bodies [in China] to reconsider and soon greenlight his trip to take care of his wife in the U.S.” its statement read.

VOA CAMBODIA

The national bar association on Thursday defended its decision to set up an investigation into whether one of its members, attorney and pro-democracy activist Arnon Nampha, has breached its code of conduct.

A spokesman for the Lawyers Council of Thailand Under Royal Patronage said a three-man committee was convened on Jan. 13 in response to a complaint it received from an assistant to the Prime Minister’s Office. The petition accused Arnon of “inciting hatred” toward the monarchy by leading a protest back in August.

“Article 18 of our Behavior Code says if there’s any action that may damage the professional reputation, we can investigate it,” committee spokesman Panya Jarumas said by phone.

Panya believes the inquiry will conclude about a month after Arnon submitted his written defense.

Article 18 of the Lawyer Council’s Behaviour Code stated that lawyers and attorneys of law must not “conduct themselves in violation of the good morals, or damage the dignity and reputation of the lawyer profession.”

The complaint against Arnon was submitted by Apiwat Kanthong, attorney and assistant to PM Office Minister Anucha Nakasai, urging the lawyer council to punish Arnon for his role in leading a protest against the government on Aug. 3.

Part of the complaint, dated Aug. 7, said Arnon “violated the revered and inviolable institution of the monarchy, which is beloved by all Thais, through his speeches. He distorted facts, insulted, slandered, incited unrest, and caused damages and hatred toward the monarchy with an aim to sow division within the country.”

Arnon was one of the organizers of a Harry Potter-themed rally on Ratchadamnoen Avenue on that day, where he urged demonstrators to “break the ceiling” and insist on reforms of the monarchy – surprising many onlookers.

His plea was later taken up by the main body of the student-led protesters, and monarchy reforms became one of three key goals sought by the movement.

Panya said punishment for breaching the council’s code of conduct varies, from suspension of attorney’s license for five years to probation and verbal warning.

“We don’t even know yet what the level of the punishment would be,” Panya said, while stressing that Arnon is considered innocent until proven guilty by the committee.

Arnon said on the phone Thursday he will submit a written defense statement within the next 15 days, adding that he is not particularly concerned by the news.

“The process is not complicated,” the 36-year-old activist and lawyer said. “I’m not worried, because the lawyer profession hasn’t really made much money for me anyway.”

Asked what he would feel if he’s found guilty and stripped of his license, Arnon replied, “That’d be a pity, because I wouldn’t be able to help poor people and the ordinary citizens.”

Koreeyor Manuchae, chairwoman of the Human Rights Lawyers Association, said she submitted a petition urging the Lawyers Council not to take up the complaint against Arnon, but to no avail.

The attorney said she’s concerned that the probe may become politicized.

“Arnon is already under the spotlight,” Koreeyor said. “It might also affect the Lawyers Council’s standing … I think the Lawyers Council shouldn’t have accepted this matter for consideration in the first place. What Arnon did was within the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.”

Khaosod

A court in northern Kazakhstan has sentenced an opposition activist to jail and fined two other people for allegedly taking part in an unsanctioned rally.

The administrative court in the city of Kokshetau on January 28 handed a 12-day jail sentence to Aslan Qurmanbaev.

Another activist, Marat Zhanuzaqov, and a local resident, Gaukhar Shakenova, were both fined 87,500 tenges ($205).

The case stems from an unsanctioned rally held in Kokshetau's central square on January 25 by hundreds of people angered by what they called the government’s poor results in the fights against corruption and the coronavirus pandemic.

All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Shakenova said she did not participate in the rally but was just a passerby.

Kokshetau is a remote city of 146,000 people located 300 kilometers northwest of Kazakhstan’s capital, Nur-Sultan.

Human rights groups have said Kazakhstan’s law on public gatherings contradicts international standards as it requires preliminary permission from authorities to hold rallies and envisions prosecution for organizing and participating in unsanctioned rallies even though the nation’s constitution guarantees its citizens the right of free assembly.

RFERL

Three high school activists, the youngest of them 16, were indicted Thursday for their roles in organizing an anti-government protest in October.

Leaders of the “Bad Students” education reform group Laponpat “Min” Wangpaisit, 18, Benjamaporn “Ploy” Nivas, 16, as well as activist Khanaphot “Phoom” Yaemsanguansak, 16, appeared at the Central Juvenile and Family Court on Thursday afternoon. They were charged with breaching the Emergency Decree’s ban on gatherings.

They were later released without having to post any bail, since they were not deemed a flight risk.

“We will deny all the allegations,” Laponpat said before entering the court. “We’re disappointed to see those in power trying to prosecute us, but we will continue to fight for justice. We hope other students will join our fight as well.”

The defendants stand accused of violating the Emergency Decree for organizing an anti-government rally at Ratchaprasong Intersection on Oct. 15. At least three other adults, which include Free People leader Tattep Ruangprapakitseree, were also charged with the same offense.

The government imposed the State of Severe Emergency at the time, permitting the authorities to ban public gatherings of more than five people. The special law, which also empowers authorities to censor media deemed to cause unrest, was revoked a few days later, on Oct. 22.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights attorney Koomklao Songsomboon, who represented the defendants, said the student activists are due to appear before the court again in April.

“The youths were exercising their rights under the Constitution. They were calling for an education reform, which shouldn’t be unlawful,” Koomklao said. “The prosecution of the youths is against the international convention on children’s rights as well.”

If found guilty, they face up to two years in juvenile detention center and a maximum fine of 40,000 baht.

“The prosecution is almost the same as adults,” Koomklao said.

At least six youths were charged for their roles in the protest. In December, a 16-year-old boy was charged with royal defamation for allegedly mocking the monarchy by wearing a crop-top.

Khaosod

The police have filed a case against seven people, including Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, for allegedly “misreporting” and “spreading disharmony” during the clashes between the police and the protesting farmers on Republic Day.

The FIR was filed on Thursday night by Gurugram Police on the basis of a complaint by Jharsa resident Pankaj Singh (34), who works with a private company. The police said the complainant has accused Tharoor, Sardesai and five other journalists of spreading “false and misleading information”.

Karan Goel, assistant commissioner of police (DLF), said that the police would probe the complaint that the suspects had spread fake news accusing the Delhi police of the murder of a person who was driving tractor during the riot in the Capital on Republic Day. “Gurugram Police has begun an investigation into the matter,” said Goel.

On Tuesday, thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally called by farmer unions to highlight their demand for repeal of the Centre’s three farm laws.

A case under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 124A (sedition), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups), 153-B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at the Cyber police station of Gurugram.

“I filed a complaint with the Gururgam Police on Thursday and attached the social media posts from the suspects Twitter handles. I was deeply aggrieved by widespread riots on Republic Day in the national Capital,” said Singh. “I am a middle-class person with no political affiliation,” he further added.

The journalists named in the FIRs are Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Vinod Jose, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath and Anant Nath. The Editors Guild of India has condemned filing of police cases against them.

"The journalists have been specifically targeted for reporting the accounts pertaining to the death of one of the protestors on their personal social media handles as well as those of the publications they lead and represent. It must be noted that on the day of the protest and high action, several reports were emerging from eyewitnesses on the ground as well as from the police, and therefore it was only natural for journalists to report all the details as they emerged. This is in line with established norms of journalistic practice," the Editors Guild said in a statement.

Hindustan Times | NDTV

Several journalists from Indian media group iTV were threatened, heckled and physically assaulted by unidentified assailants during a Republic Day tractor rally in New Delhi on January 26. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Indian affiliate the National Union of Journalists – India (NUJ-I) condemn the attacks.

Aishwarya Jain, Ajit Shrivastava, Priya Singh and Aditya Nair, working for the iTV-owned NewsX and India News outlets, suffered verbal abuse, pelting with stones and intimidation during the rally by members of the crowd. Jain was caught and beaten while Shrivastava was thrashed with sticks.

Thousands of farmers, protesting controversial agricultural reforms, stormed New Delhi’s historic Red Fort in a convoy of tractors, horses and foot protesters. They called for the removal new laws that will greatly reduce the earnings of small farmers and favour large corporate farms. Despite calls for a peaceful protest, demonstrators clashed with police and breached barricades, shouting slogans denouncing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘black laws’.

The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) condemned the attack, expressing “deep concern and anguish” at the threats to media personnel during the rally and called for the arrest of the assailants. ITV network also appealed to authorities to take action to ensure “free, fair and fearless journalism thrives in India and no journalists threatened and intimidated for simply doing their duty.”

India remains a dangerous nation for media workers with Indian journalists often targeted for their reporting on land and gang disputes. According to IFJ documentation, eight Indian journalists were killed in deliberate attacks during 2020, with many more suffering violence and abuse.

NUJ-I president, Ras Bihari, said: “In addition to the attack to journalists, many female journalists have complained of molestation and misbehavior during the protest. NUJ (I) condemns the attack and demands immediate arrest of the persons responsible for it.”

NUJ (I) said it will file complaints to the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister and the Press Council of India regarding the misconduct.

The IFJ said: “This latest incident in New Delhi, along with the escalating frequency of journalist attacks in India, highlights the dire situation of press freedom in India. This verbal and physical assault of journalists must be met with swift prosecution of all perpetrators.”

IFJ

Three people were arrested for taking part in a public assembly without a permit outside the Ministry of Education (MOE) headquarters in Buona Vista on Tuesday (Jan 26), police said in a statement.

The police added that the trio, whom they did not name but said were aged between 19 and 32, were released on bail at about 10pm.

Investigations are ongoing.

The three were among a group of five people who allegedly staged a protest outside the building at about 5pm on Tuesday, carrying placards stating "#FIX SCHOOLS NOT STUDENTS", "WHY ARE WE NOT IN YOUR SEX ED", "HOW CAN WE GET A's WHEN YOUR CARE FOR US IS AN F", "trans students will NOT be erased" and "trans students deserve access to HEALTHCARE & SUPPORT".

The police said that when officers arrived at the scene, only three individuals remained.

They have been identified by activists as Elijah Tay, Lune Loh and Kokila Annamalai.

They were warned to cease their activities, as they were liable for an offence, but they ignored the police's warning and continued with their activities, police said.

"The group was then issued with a 'Move-on' direction under Section 36 of the Public Order Act and were told that they would be arrested if they failed to adhere to the direction," said the police.

"The three refused to comply despite the police's repeated warnings, and were arrested under the Public Order Act at around 5.35pm," police added.

They said that five placards, two multi-coloured flags and a blue bag were seized in relation to the case.

The protesters had, at around the time of their gathering, issued a statement to the media saying they were a group of students and supporters calling on MOE to end discrimination against LGBTQ - lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer - students in schools, adding that it is a longstanding issue.

The protest comes after a transgender pre-university student diagnosed with gender dysphoria said in a Reddit post this month that the MOE had blocked her from getting hormonal treatment.

The MOE had said this was not true, as it was not in a position to interfere with any medical treatment, which is a matter for the student's family to decide on.

In their statement, the police said that organising or participating in a public assembly without a police permit is illegal and constitutes an offence under the Public Order Act.

Straits Times

An activist in Kazakhstan's southern region of Turkistan has been handed a parole-like sentence for his links with a banned political masovement.

The Ordabasy district court on January 26 sentenced Qairat Sultanbek to one year of "freedom limitation" after finding him guilty of involvement in the activities of the banned opposition Koshe (Street) Party, which has links with another outlawed party, the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) movement.

The 47-year-old activist told RFE/RL after his sentence was pronounced that he will appeal the ruling, calling it politically motivated.

Sultanbek was placed under house arrest after he was detained and charged in September.

Several activists across the Central Asian nation have been handed "freedom limitation" sentences for their involvement in the activities of the Koshe Party and DVK, and for taking part in rallies organized by the two groups..

DVK is led by Mukhtar Ablyazov, the fugitive former head of Kazakhstan’s BTA Bank and an outspoken critic of the Kazakh government. Kazakh authorities labeled DVK extremist and banned the group in March 2018.

Human rights groups have said that Kazakhstan’s law on public gatherings contradicts international standards as it requires preliminary permission from authorities to hold rallies and envisions prosecution for those organizing and participating in unsanctioned rallies even though the nation’s constitution guarantees its citizens the right of free assembly.

RFERL

The KP Sharma Oli administration’s intolerance of dissent and civil liberty was in full display on Monday. Police on Monday afternoon brutally charged members of civil society, who had gathered under the umbrella of Brihat Nagarik Andolan, when they were marching towards Baluwatar to protest against Oli’s decision to dissolve the House on December 20.

In a statement in the evening, Brihat Nagarik Andolan said that the government forcefully led the peaceful protest into a violent clash.

“The police intervention in a peaceful protest shows KP Sharma Oli government’s fearful and suppressive mindset,” reads the statement.

Monday’s demonstration had started from ‘Kamal Pokhari’, which has drawn heritage conservationists’ attention of late because of the authorities’ bid to turn it into a “concrete pond”.

Renowned personalities including writers Narayan Wagle, Khagendra Sangraula, Ujjwal Prasain, Yug Pathak, professor Sanjeev Upreti, activist Rita Shah, social campaigner and orthopaedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC, human rights activist Mohna Ansari, Communist Party of Nepal leader Raghuji Pant and actor Dahayang Rai, among others, led the protest.

But no sooner had the demonstrators reached close to Baluwatar, the official residence of Prime Minister Oli, than police charged batons and used water cannons to disperse them, in what was reminiscent of the days when protesters were assaulted during the 2006 movement, which is dubbed the second Jana Andolan, the first being the 1990 movement.

The 1990 movement ushered in democracy in the country and the second culminated in the abolition of monarchy.

In a video clip by photojournalist Narayan Maharjan of Setopati, an online news portal, Wagle is seen falling down due to the force of the water cannon, and many others being brutally beaten up by police.

“We were holding a peaceful protest. Without prior information, police used force on us,” said Wagle. “This is the beginning of the third Jana Andolan.”

Oli faces charges of behaving as though he is the state, and since dissolving the House, he has been making statements, branding all who criticise him as anti-national forces.

His aversion to civil liberty and peaceful protests had become apparent just after he assumed office, as he had banned protests at Maitighar.

Civil society members and rights defenders have called Oli’s House dissolution move unconstitutional, saying he has committed a fraud on the constitution because it does not allow him to do so.

Despite a dozen writ petitions against his move being heard by the Supreme Court, Oli has been making claims that the court cannot revive the House, in what many say his attempts to influence the judiciary.

“The Oli government has failed to show regard for democrotic norms,” Uprety, the professor, told the Post. “The state is so fearful of its own citizens that it is not even allowing them to speak.”

Earlier on Monday, police had rounded up around two dozen rights defenders from the Baluwatar area for protesting against the House dissolution.

Police, however, said no arrests were made during the civil society protest.

“A few people might have sustained minor injuries but we did not arrest anyone,” said Senior Superintendent Pradeep Kumar Shrestha, also the spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Office, Ranipokhari.

Shrestha defended security personnel’s baton-charge and use of water cannon, saying “minor force” was used as the protesters were attempting to enter the prohibited zone.

“Five protesters and as many security personnel were injured,” said Shrestha. “But all those injured protesters have returned home after receiving treatment at TU Teaching Hospital.”

But the campaigners in their statement said that over a dozen people were injured.

“Six critically injured persons including Nirga Raj Jaishi, Janak Dhungana, Suroj Tamang, Kuldip Sharma, Sunil Shrestha and Govida Bhandari are receiving treatment at TU Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj,” read the statement.

Earlier in June also, police had used force on youths who were demonstrating at Baluwatar against the Oli government’s lacklustre response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Basanta Ranjitkar, one of the coordinators of the Brihat Nagarik Andolan, said Monday’s was a planned attack from the government side.

“A democratic government never behaves in the way the Oli government has done today,” said Rajitkar. “No regime is afraid of the people unless it has committed anything wrong. Since the Oli regime has lost its legitimacy, it is too afraid of the people.”

Police on Monday afternoon detained around two dozen human rights activists and civil society members who had gathered in Baluwatar, Kathmandu to protest against the dissolution of the House of Representatives.

Police said all those detained have been kept at the Nepal Police Club.

Kathmandu Post | Nepalmonitor

In a social media statement, Dixit revealed that at around 9pm on January 25, an unidentified person attempted to break into her house in Delhi, fleeing when she shouted and opened the door. The incident follows a series of harassment and intimidation attempts, including threats of rape, acid attack and murder, by an unidentified group since September 2020. According to the statement, Dixit said the threats were entirely related to her role as a journalist. Several mobile numbers and different voices were used to threaten her. She further stated that the stalkers also target her partner.

Dixit received the first telephone threat in September 2020 while at a market. The unknown voice threatened, “Sabzi lay rahi hai na tu. Bada reporter banti hai. Jaan jayegi teri” (translating to “You are buying vegetables, right? You think you are a big shot reporter? You will die.”). The calls have increased in frequency, coming from different unidentified numbers. Dixit has filed a complaint with local police.

Dixit, whose stories have been published in The New York Times, Al-Jazeera, Caravan and The Wire, is known for her ground-breaking investigative stories concerning female trafficking in Assam and gender-based violence against minority women during the Muzaffarnagar riots.

A global survey by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2020 highlights the widespread online abuse, harassment, threats, and attacks suffered by female journalists. In accordance with these findings, there have been many instances of attempted character assassination, doxing (disclosure of personal identifying information) and even threats of physical and sexual violence against female journalists in India.

IFJ

Zulkiflee Anwar Alhaque, the famous Malaysian cartoonist better known as Zunar, is again facing prosecution over a cartoon criticizing a politician. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for the withdrawal of the latest complaint against Zunar and for an end to the use of Malaysia’s sedition law to silence those who criticize the authorities.

Zunar is facing a possible three-year jail term in the action brought against him on 25 January by an ally of the prime minister of the northwestern state of Kedah. It was prompted by a cartoon published on Zunar’s Twitter account that morning criticizing the prime minister’s decision to cancel this year’s celebration of Thaipusam, a Hindu religious festival that the Tamil community normally observes on 28 January.

The cartoon shows the prime minister slamming a cleaver (bearing the words “No Thaipusam”) down on a table around which representatives of Malaysia’s various ethnic groups had been seated. A caption above them says: “Kedah’s inhabitants lived in peace until he came.”

The president of the youth wing of the Malaysian Islamic Party, which support’s the state’s prime minster, initiated the defamation proceedings against Zunar with the aim, he said, “of giving a lesson to all those who think everything can be arbitrarily politicized.”

The complaint accuses Zunar of violating the sedition law, which penalizes “a tendency to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any ruler or against any government.” When reached by RSF, Zunar said he feared getting a call or visit from the police at any time.

Symbol

“It is unacceptable for a cartoonist to be prosecuted over nothing more than a cartoon that annoyed someone,” said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk. “The right to criticize is the very essence of cartoons. We call on prosecutors to immediately drop these absurd charges against Zunar. Malaysia’s leaders must stop abusing the sedition law to suppress freedom of expression.”

Zunar, who was awarded the Cartooning for Peace Prize in 2016, has become a symbol of press freedom in Malaysia. The authorities have repeatedly used the sedition law against him, resulting in his imprisonment in 2010 and 2015. He was arrested again under the sedition law in 2016 because of cartoons about government corruption. During a sale of his books a few days later, the police arrested him yet again and confiscated material worth more than 20,000 dollars.

Malaysia is ranked 101st out of 180 countries in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index, 22 places higher than in 2019, but could fall again as a result of the more draconian policies now being pursued by the authorities.

RSF

Myanmar authorities should immediately drop criminal defamation and other complaints against four ethnic-Rakhine (Arakanese) journalists, Fortify Rights said today. Last week, on January 22, Myanmar authorities filed criminal defamation complaints against Development Media Group (DMG) journalists Hnin Nwe, 23, and Nay Win San, 26, for publishing a story alleging the military confiscated rice and used forced labor in Rakhine State.

Two other DMG staff members—journalist Aung Kyaw Min, 40, and founder of DMG Aung Marm Oo, 40—are also currently facing criminal charges brought against them by Myanmar authorities in December 2020 and May 2019, respectively.The Sittwe-based DMG is an ethnic-Rakhine-led media outlet reporting on human rights violations and other news in Rakhine State and other parts of the country.

On January 22, Major Phone Myint Kyaw filed a criminal complaint at the No. 2 Police Station in Sittwe Township alleging that journalist Hnin Nwe and Nay Win San, editor-in-charge of the DMG, violated Section 66(d) of Myanmar’s Telecommunications Law. The Myanmar authorities requested the pair to report to the No. 2 Police Station in Sittwe today as part of the police investigation.

The complaints stem from an article DMG published online on January 10 alleging Myanmar military personnel looted 700 baskets of unhusked rice paddy in Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State on January 7. The report also claims the military forced residents in Kyauktaw Township to mill rice.

Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law prohibits “extorting, defaming, disturbing or threatening to any person by using any telecommunications network.” Violations carry sentences of up to two years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to one million Myanmar Kyat (US$751).

The earlier cases brought by the Myanmar authorities against DMG journalist Aung Kyaw Min and DMG founder Aung Marm Oo remain pending.

Maung Win of the Department of Roads and Bridges Management in Maungdaw Township filed a complaint at the Maungdaw Township Police Station in Rakhine State on December 13, 2020 alleging that Aung Kyaw Min violated Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law. The allegations stem from an article published on December 11 by DMGthat reported complaints about local government failures to repair a broken bridge in Maungdaw, Rakhine State. The case against Aung Kyaw Min is still under police investigation, and the trial has yet to begin.

Aung Marm Oo, also known as Aung Min Oo, also faces up to five years in prison and a fine after the Special Branch Police, operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, filed a complaint at the Sittwe Myoma Police Station No. 1 in Rakhine State on May 1, 2019 alleging violations of Section 17/2 of the Unlawful Association Act.

Section 17/2 of the Unlawful Associations Act provides criminal penalties to “Whoever manages or assists in the management of an unlawful association, or promotes or assists in promoting a meeting of any such association, or of any members thereof.”

Aung Marm Oo is currently in hiding.

“I wonder if the military is deliberately imposing various restrictions on DMG, disrupting the media and intimidating journalists and editors,” Aung Marm Oo told Fortify Rights. “I sometimes wonder if the government and the military are deliberately collaborating to impose restrictions on DMG so that we can no longer continue to operate, and so that DMGcannot stand as a news organization.”

In March 2020, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) directed telecommunications operators to ban 221 websites, including ethnic media outlets DMG, Narinjara, and Karen News, and several Rohingya-led news sites. The Myanmar government cited no reasons for targeting specific outlets nor did it provide a legal basis for the directive. Section 77 of the Telecommunications Law provides that the MOTC “may, when an emergency situation arises to operate for public interest, direct the licensee to suspend a Telecommunications Service, to intercept, [or] not to operate any specific form of communication . . .”

Aung Marm Oo founded DMG on January 9, 2012, and it was based on the Thailand-Myanmar border before registering in Myanmar and moving to Sittwe and Yangon in January 2014. DTV Daily News Programme and the bi-monthly Development News Journal operate under the DMG. DMG publishes in English and Burmese languages.

Under international law, restrictions on freedom of expression are permissible only when provided by law, proportional, and necessary to accomplish a legitimate aim. Criminal penalties for defamation, including imprisonment, constitute a disproportionate punishment that infringes on the right to freedom of expression.

Fortify Rights

Pro-democracy activist Chonthicha “Kate” Jangrew became the latest person to be charged with defaming the monarchy – an offense that has seemingly turned into a political weapon against government critics.

Speaking on the phone Monday morning before reporting to the police, Chonticha urged the international community to keep up the pressure on the ongoing crackdown under Article 112 of the Criminal Codes, aka lese majeste. As many as 56 people are now charged under the offense in a spate of just three months, her attorney said.

“People around the world are watching the enforcement of Article 112,” the activist said. “The use of the law is embarrassing the Thai government even more. I’d like to invite the international community and organizations to keep a close watch on this matter.”

Chonticha, who led numerous protests against the government in 2020, predicted that more lese majeste complaints would be lodged in the near future against those calling for reforms of the monarchy.

“The cases will just keep rising,” she said. “We also have to question the monarchy, why they let the case number increase.”

The activist said she received the police summons informing her that she was charged with Article 112 on Thursday, but the document did not specify what alleged wrongdoing she might have committed. Chonticha is one of the leaders behind the protest movement that sought to oust PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, draft a more democratic charter, and reform the royal institution.

Lese majeste bans threats or insults made toward the King, Queen, Regent, and Heir Apparent. Violators face up to 15 years in jail, per count.

But the head of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, a group that’s representing lese majeste suspects in court, said police appear to accept any royal defamation complaints against the dissidents regardless of the circumstances.

“We’ve seen that it’s a problem. The police accepted every complaint,” Yaowalak Anuphan said. “We have to question the police. The police claim that they receive the complaint, so they must proceed with it, [but] Article 112 is now a political weapon. It’s very sweeping.”

The attorney also warned such arbitrary and indiscriminate use of lese majeste will eventually erode the public trust in the law enforcement.

“Eventually, Article 112 will become a law without rules,” Yaowalak said.

Police spokesman Col. Kissana Phathanacharoen was not available to comment as of press time Monday.

The use of lese majeste was absent for several years, until it made a return in November, shortly after PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said the authorities would use every available law in the book to punish those accused of insulting His Majesty the King.

Some democracy advocates have been charged with multiple counts of lese majeste, which could land them in lengthy jail terms. For instance, Rayong-based activist Panupong “Mike” Jadnok will hear the seventh lese majeste charge pressed against him later today, his lawyer said.

In Lampang province, five people also reported themselves to police over lese majeste charges, the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights Group reports.

Khaosod

On 20 January 2021, the People’s Court of Hau Giang sentenced woman human rights defenderĐinh Thị Thu Thủy to seven years in prison. The woman defender was charged under Article 117of the Penal Code, which relates to conducting anti-state propaganda. Đinh Thị Thu Thủy has beenin detention since her arrest from her from her apartment in Ho Chi Minh City on 18 April 2020. Đinh Thị Thu Thủyis a woman human rights defender and an engineer. As a woman human rightsdefender, she has been a strong advocate for freedom of expression and environmental rights, andhas been outspoken against the negative implications of overseas investment projects. On 20 January 2021, at her first- instance hearing, the People’s Court of Hau Giang sentencedĐinh Thị Thu Thủy to seven years in prison. The woman defender has been charged with “making,storing, disseminating or propagandising information, materials and products that aim to opposethe State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under article 117 of the Penal Code of 2015. ĐinhThị Thu Thủy was arrested on 18 April 2020 for allegedly creating several Facebook accounts todisseminate articles to distort Vietnam’s policies and to defame its leadership. She was alsoaccused by authorities of criticizing the communist regime’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.The woman human rights defender was held in incommunicado detention for seven months untilNovember 2020, when she was finally allowed to have contact with her family. Đinh Thị Thu Thủywas granted access to her lawyer for the first time in December 2020, eight months after herdetention. The woman defender is a single mother to a nine year old girl and has been undersevere psychological stress due to lack of visitation and contact with her family. In the past two years, Đinh Thị Thu Thủy has come under frequent judicial harassment,persecution, and surveillance by the Vietnamese authorities. After her participation in a masspeaceful demonstration in Ho Chi Minh City on June 2018, which protested two bills, the SpecialEconomic Zone Bill and the Cyber Security Bill, the woman human rights defender was detained,beaten, interrogated, and fined before being released. The Special Economic Zone bill sought tofavour Chinese investments in the country, in spite of existing disputes amongst the two countriesand the environmental repercussions of such investments. The Cyber Security Bill, which hassince been passed to become law, strives to curb any form of online dissent or criticism against thegovernment. Đinh Thị Thu Thủy’s sentencing comes after the sentencing of three human rights defenders,Nguyen Tuong Thuy, Le Huu Minh Tuan and Pham Chi Dung under the same charges underArticle 117 of the Penal Code. On 14 January 2020, UN experts, in a press release, condemned therecent arrests in Vietnam and the dangerous and blatant usage of Article 117 of the Penal Code tosilence critical voices and further restrict the right to freedom of expression. Front Line Defenders condemns the arrest and sentencing of woman human rights defender ĐinhThị Thu Thủy. It is concerned about the shrinking space for exercising the right to freedom ofexpression in the country and the ongoing judicial harassment of human rights defenders. FrontLine Defenders believes that Đinh Thị Thu Thủy, like other human rights defenders recentlyarrested, is being targeted solely for her peaceful work in defence of human rights in Vietnam.

FLD

A security guard at IconSiam luxury shopping mall was fined 1,000 baht by the police on Tuesday after he was filmed slapping a university student who was holding a lone protest in front of the department store.

Passapong Ponjaturapat, 47, was identified as the assailant. He was fined by Pak Khlong San Police under a misdemeanor of minor physical assault against Benja Apan, a 21-year-old Thammasat University student and a member of the activist group United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration.

Benja said she was holding a placard with the message “Vaccine Monopoly is PR for the Royals” at the riverside shopping mall about 2pm Tuesday, when she and her companion were surrounded by about 10 security personnel and staff from the mall.

“After we took the photos, the guards ran and mobbed me,” Benja said at the police station. “At first I was going to leave through the front part of the mall, but he wouldn’t let me. He tried to confiscate my phone. I wouldn’t let him do that. And suddenly he seized my placard, so I reached for his staff ID card, I wanted to know who he was. He slapped me right then.”

The student continued, “I felt very angry and humiliated. He admitted his fault and paid the fine. He apologized to me. He said it all happened in a moment of chaos.”

The confrontation was also captured on a live video and posted on social media. One of the staff could be heard telling Benja to leave the premises because it was a private property. “This is my home!” the employee said.

Passapong declined to speak to a reporter at the police station.

IconSiam later issued a statement promising a disciplinary inquiry into the guard who had slapped Banja.

“IconSiam is aware of the incident. We’d like to express our regret and apologize for what happened,” the mall said.

“As soon as we were aware of the incident, we opened an investigation and set up a fact-finding committee. If the employee is found to have committed the wrongdoing, we will take a serious disciplinary action against the employee in accordance with our regulations.”

The statement went on to say that it reserves the right to ban any political gatherings and activities on its premises. Any violations may result in a legal action, IconSiam said.

Lt. Col. Jirote Bhamornsut, deputy superintendent of Pak Khlong San Police Station, said IconSiam has the rights to remove Benja from the mall since it is considered private property.

“It’s within the power of the shopping mall whether to allow the protest to happen or not,” Jirote said. “If someone tells you to leave their house and you refuse to, that’s intrusion.”

Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, a leader of the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, went to the police station along with some 20 protesters on Tuesday afternoon to show their support for Benja.

“This person came out to campaign on behalf of the interest of the people,” Parit said, adding that the vaccination effort is being exploited as a public relations tool for the monarchy.

The vast majority of vaccines to be used in the inoculation campaign will be manufactured by Siam Bioscience, a company wholly owned by the Crown Property Bureau. The firm said it secured a knowledge sharing agreement with AstraZeneca, a British pharmaceutical who developed the vaccine.

IconSiam is a 50 billion baht joint venture between real estate giants Siam Piwat and Magnolia Quality Development. It opened in 2018. Siam Piwat also owns other prominent shopping malls like Siam Paragon and Siam Center in downtown Bangkok.

On Dec. 20, Parit and his group also staged a protest demanding monarchy reforms at Siam Paragon. Security guards employed by the mall trailed the activists as they walked around the department store, but did not interfere with the protest.

Khaosod

A court in Gujarat’s Kutch district on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta in a defamation suit filed by the Adani Group.

Judicial magistrate Pradeep Soni issued a direction to the Nizamuddin police station in New Delhi, asking them to arrest Thakurta, who “stands charged with complaint under section 500 of IPC [defamation]”, according to news agency PTI.

The Adani Group had filed the defamation suit following a June 2017 article that said the Narendra Modi government tweaked rules relating to special economic zones which gave the group a “Rs 500 crore bonanza”.

Thakurta’s lawyer told PTI that they haven’t received any intimation (from the court). “This information (on arrest warrant) has come to us from media,” Anand Yagnik said.

He added said the Adani Group had withdrawn complaints against everybody but not against his client.

“The magazine (which published the article) is not responsible (for criminal defamation), the case against co-authors has been withdrawn but you don’t withdraw the complaint against [another] author,” he said. “We have moved a discharge application.”

With the pandemic affecting court hearings last year, the case filed by Adani had come up before the court on Monday and the court had said it will pass an appropriate order, he added.

The article was first published by Economic and Political Weekly on June 14, 2017, of which Thakurta was the editor-in-chief at the time. The Wire had then republished the piece on June 19, 2017.

While EPW removed the article after receiving notices from the Adani Group, The Wire contested the application for an injunction. In May 2019, the group withdrew all its cases against The Wire.

Thakurta resigned as editor of EPW after its publisher Sameeksha Trust ordered the editorial department to take the article down.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, The Wire has said:

“Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and two other authors wrote an article for the Economic and Political Weekly in 2017 on the Adani group, which was republished subsequently by The Wire.

While the Adani group had initiated both civil and criminal defamation against the three authors and The Wire in 2017, the proceedings against The Wire and its Editors were unconditionally withdrawn in 2019, as were those against two of the three authors of the article.

We are dismayed to see that the case of civil and criminal defamation against Paranjoy Guha Thakurta has not been withdrawn.

The Wire wishes to place on record its stand that the article itself is legitimate expression and not defamatory in the least.”

Wire

Peasant groups condemned the arrest of six farmers in Norzagaray, Bulacan after harvesting their own crops, and the series of eviction of farmers in Bataan, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan and Iloilo.

On Jan. 18, police arrested six farmers in Sitio Compra, San Mateo, Norzagaray, Bulacan following the filing of theft and grave threat by Royal Mollucan Realty Holdings Inc. (RMRHI) against 16 farmers who were evicted from their farm lots.

Arrested were Salvacion Abonilla, John Jason Abonilla, Jenny Capa, Marilyn Olpos, Catherine Magdato, and Eden Gualberto. All are active members of local peasant group SAMA-SAMA, an affiliate of Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Bulacan-KMP.

Since 2005, the RMRHI has been claiming ownership to the 75.5-hectare land in Sitio Compra in San Mateo village, which farmers have been tilling for decades.

Evicted and harassed

Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and Amihan documented other cases of land grabbing and rights violations in the past few months.

Two houses were demolished by the private armed group of Ayala land in Hacienda Yulo, Calamba, Laguna on Jan. 6 and 9. Four farmers were reportedly injured.

On Jan. 13 in Hacienda Ambulong, Talisay, Negros Occidental, peasant couple Marilyn and Edwin Madin were held for questioning by the local police station after an early morning raid conducted by the 79th Infantry Battalion Philippine Army. A two-month old baby under their care was also taken by the soldiers.

On Jan. 14, in barangay General Lim, Orion, Bataan, the houses of about 70 peasant families were destroyed by at least 200 police upon orders from former GSIS President Federico Pascual. Policemen also reportedly threatened to destroy all the crops in the 33-hectare land.

In a press conference on Monday, Jan. 18, Shirley Valentin, a farmer and coordinator of Samahan ng Magsasaka sa Sitio Bangad, narrated how they are being harassed every day by the private goons and the police.

“We do not have anything because they destroyed our house. We just stay outside. Last night it was raining and our things are just out there getting wet,” she said in Filipino.

She added that even the blanket they used to shield themselves was confiscated by blue guards and the police.

“We have nowhere to go. We cannot harvest our crops,” Valentin said. She added that the relocation site offered to them has no power, water supply, and is located in the mountainous area.

Meanwhile, farmers in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan have long been fighting against land grabbing as there are several real estate development projects in the city. The KMP said the projects of Villar, Ayala Land Inc., SMDC and others in San Jose Del Monte City are intertwined.

There are also about 400 peasant families of Lupang Ramos in Dasmarinas, Cavite who were threatened to be evicted from their farms and houses due to National Grid Corporations of the Philippines (NGCP) project in December last year.

In a statement, Amihan National Chairperson Zenaida Soriano strongly condemned the continuous abuses against “food security frontliners.”

Soriano said it is immoral that in the middle of a pandemic and poverty brought about by lockdown, farmers are being evicted and their houses are being demolished.

Then and now, peasants’ calls are still the same

In time for the commemoration of Mendiola massacre, peasants groups will hold a nationally- coordinated mobilization on Jan. 22 to “denounce and protest the intensifying land grabbing and land-use conversion of productive agricultural land, coupled with state-sponsored human rights violations against farmers.”

KMP Chairperson Danilo Ramos said that then and now, the farmers’ demands are still the same – land reform and free land distribution.

“The situation of Filipino peasants when they marched from Central Luzon to Mendiola in 1987 remains unchanged, and even worse this 2021, especially with the rising cases of peasant massacres and mass killings under the Duterte administration,” Ramos said.

He added that under President Duterte’s administration there are 21 incidents of peasant massacres and mass killings of farmers with 107 victims, based on the documentation of Tanggol Magsasaka.

Ramos blamed the absence of genuine agrarian reform and government projects such as the ‘Build, Build, Build’, which “authorizes the massive conversion of land for the building of arterial roads and linkages, mega-dams, airport, and railway expansions, among other big-ticket infrastructure projects that are the most common source of bureaucratic corruption.”

Bulatlat

Pakistani authorities have rearrested a prominent ethnic Pashtun rights activist who is facing sedition charges almost a week after he was released on bail.

Police and the civil rights group say Said Alam Mahsud, a leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), was taken into custody in the northwestern town of Dera Ismail Khan on January 18.

He was first arrested early this month in the city of Peshawar before being released on bail on January 13.

A PTM leader, Alamzeb Mehsud, said Mahsud had been charged with "sedition, making anti-state comments, and addressing unsanctioned rallies" in two cases registered in 2019.

Mahsud’s arrest comes a day after another PTM leader, Sanna Ejaz, was detained and forcibly expelled from the southwestern province of Balochistan, amid a growing government crackdown on the movement.

The PTM has campaigned since 2018 for the civil rights of Pakistan’s estimated 35 million ethnic Pashtuns, many of whom live near the border with Afghanistan where the military has conducted campaigns that it says defeated the Pakistani Taliban.

The movement has attracted tens of thousands of people to public rallies in recent years to denounce the powerful Pakistani Army's heavy-handed tactics that have killed thousands of Pashtun civilians and forced millions more to abandon their homes since 2003.

International rights groups say authorities have banned peaceful rallies organized by the PTM and some of its leading members have been arbitrarily detained and prevented from traveling within the country.

Some members have also faced charges of sedition and cybercrimes.

RFERL

Pakistani security forces have detained and forcibly expelled a prominent ethnic Pashtun rights activist, Sanna Ejaz, from the restive province of Balochistan.

Ejaz is a leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a civil rights movement that has come under a growing government crackdown.

Video footage uploaded on social media showed security forces ushering Ejaz into a vehicle on January 17.

Moments before she was detained in the district of Zhob, Ejaz told RFE/RL that paramilitary forces notified her that she was barred from entering Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.

“They are saying my presence could cause unrest,” she told RFE/RL.

Ejaz, a resident of the neighboring province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said she had travelled to Balochistan to launch a library for women.

The library was established by Waak, a movement cofounded by Ejaz and dedicated to promoting women’s rights and education.

Police said the provincial government in November 2020 issued a notice banning PTM leaders, including Ejaz, from traveling to Balochistan for 90 days.

Balochistan is the scene of a separatist insurgency and a brutal state crackdown that has killed thousands of people since 2004.

Activists claim Pakistan’s powerful military has committed widespread abuses in Balochistan, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings of political activists and suspected separatists, arbitrary arrests, and torture. The province is home to a sizeable Pashtun community.

Ejaz was among several PTM leaders charged with making anti-state speeches during an unsanctioned rally in the port city of Karachi, in Sindh Province, on December 6, 2020.

Among them was Ali Wazir, a lawmaker and PTM leader, who was arrested on sedition charges over accusations he made anti-state comments during the rally.

Wazir remains in police custody. He is expected to be presented before an anti-terrorism court.

The PTM has campaigned since 2018 for the civil rights of Pakistan’s estimated 35 million ethnic Pashtuns, many of whom live near the border of Afghanistan where the military has conducted campaigns it says defeated the Pakistani Taliban.

The movement has attracted tens of thousands of people to public rallies in recent years to denounce the powerful Pakistani Army's heavy-handed tactics that have killed thousands of Pashtun civilians and forced millions more to abandon their homes since 2003.

International rights groups say authorities have banned peaceful rallies organized by the PTM and some of its leading members have been arbitrarily detained and prevented from traveling within the country. Some members have also faced charges of sedition and cybercrimes.

RFERL

At least seven people were arrested in confrontations between police and small groups of pro-democracy activists at two locations in Bangkok on Saturday.

Four people also suffered minor injuries following a small explosion outside Chamchuri Square on Rama IV Road, not long after demonstrators started leaving nearby Samyan Mitrtown, where they had rallied after being dispersed from Victory Monument. It is not known if the blast was related to the protests.

The day began when a few dozen people calling themselves Free Guards gathered at the Phyathai island near Victory Monument at noon. They unfurled three blank 112-metre banners — a reference to the lese majeste section of the Criminal Code — and invited people to share their thoughts about the government and the royal defamation law.

Several passers-by took up the offer and wrote on the banners before police reached the scene, backed by a fully equipped mob-control team who encircled the outer area.

Among the messages to the government were: “Thai education needs to be improved”, “Stop harassing people”, “A failed government, a divisive society” and “Covid-19 is an excuse”.

More than 40 activists, most of them young, have been charged with lese majeste since mid-November, when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said “all laws” would be used to deal with the increasingly vocal protest movement. Prior to that there had been no charges laid under Article 112 for more than two years.

The police warned the demonstrators at Victory Monument that their activity was in violation of the Covid-19 emergency decree, with penalties up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to 40,000 baht. It also broke the Disease Control Act with one year in jail and a fine of up to 100,000 baht, they said.

They later started arresting people and seized the banners. A scuffle ensued as some resisted by hurling abuse at the officers and lying on the ground. Some were heard asking them why they did not raid gambling dens nearby instead.

Police gave them five minutes to clear the area.

Deputy police spokesman Pol Col Kissana Phathanacharoen later arrived at the scene. He ordered the police to back down and ask people to go home.

At least two people were reportedly taken away. They were believed to have been taken to the Border Patrol Police Region 1 headquarters in Pathum Thani, where many dissidents have been held for questioning in the past.

The Free Guards group later went to the Phayathai police station to demand the release of those being held, but police closed off the area and told them to leave. They complied but decided to assemble again at 3.30pm in front of Samyan Mitrtown in the Pathumwan area.

At the shopping centre, they repeated their demand for the release of the protesters who had been held. Police told them to leave at 4.30pm.

After they left at around 5pm. A blast was heard in front of the mall, slightly wounding two people.

One man sustained cuts from shrapnel in his palm while a reporter from The Standard online news outlet was hurt in the calf. Police later said two officers also sustained minor injuries.

At least five more people were arrested and officers reportedly took their mobile phones, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

Also on Saturday afternoon, Bad Students, a group of teenaged campaigners for educational reform, held a symbolic demonstration to mark Teachers' Day, gathering in front of the Education Ministry on Ratchadamnoen Avenue.

Before the activity began, police told their leaders that while they would not be prosecuted because they were minors, properly wore masks and kept distancing, they urged them to drop their plan for fear of the Covid-19 spread.

The students bargained with the police, who finally allowed them to hold the activity for 15 minutes, which they broadcast live on Facebook.

The activity involved presenting "gifts" to teachers — canes, scissors and rulers — in front of the ministry’s nameplate, with the sign “The Third Kindness … Beautiful and Fresh”.

The Third Kindness is the name of a song encouraging young people to feel grateful for their teachers. The first kindness is said to be the Triple Gem of Buddhism (Buddha, dhamma and sangha) and the second is parents. All three are what everyone should feel grateful for and pay respect to all their lives.

The students also poured red paint that looked like blood on themselves, signifying how they have been treated by the Thai educational system, before dispersing.

Bangkok Post

On January 16, 10 minutes prior to boarding a high-speed train (D2655) to visit the parents of Lawyer Chang Weiping (their client), two human rights lawyers Chen Keyun and Xie Yang disappeared. Recently, Lawyer Chang's parents had demonstrated against Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials' secretive imprisonment and torture of their son.

At 11:15 am, January 16 (Beijing time), human rights lawyer Xie Yang texted his location to Chen Guiqiu, his wife: Xi’an North Station. At approximately 10 pm, when Ms. Chen phoned both Lawyer Xie and Lawyer Chen, the calls did not go through. She also phoned Mr. Xiang Xianhong a security agent in charge of Lawyer Chang’s case but he did not answer her call. Around 11 pm, Ms. Chen phoned three other security agents in Changsha, Hunan Province (Mr. Li Kewei, Mr. Li Yang, and Mr. Peng Jinsong). Although the phone calls got through to these lawyers in charge of Lawyer Xie Yang’s case, none of them answered.

Ms. Chen did not receive any information about Lawyer Xie until 6 am January 17. At that time, she learned that Lawyer Xie and Lawyer Chen Keyun had been missing for more than 22 hours.

ChinaAid strongly urges Shaanxi police: “Conform to China’s rule of law and the United Nation’s articles concerning human rights. Stop blatantly infringing on the personal rights of Lawyer Xie Yang and Lawyer Chen Keyun.

Hunan rights lawyer Xie Yang, who recently tried to visit Baoji to support Chang's family, told RFA: "We found out from Chang Weiping's wife that his parents are now under close surveillance, and that the authorities have installed CCTV cameras at the door [of their home]."

Xie said he boarded a high-speed train to Baoji along with fellow lawyer Chen Keyun, but was intercepted by state security police at the provincial capital, Xi'an, where he needed to change trains.

"No sooner had I gotten off the train than I ran into a bunch of people," Xie told RFA in a recent interview. "They claimed it was to do with the pandemic, because my health code didn't scan properly, and that I should cooperate with their investigation."

"But those people didn't look like pandemic prevention types to me; they were state security police from [the provincial capital of] Xi'an," he said. "I told them that they knew perfectly well who I was, and that I knew perfectly well who they were."

The police forced Xie and Chen to leave the high-speed rail station, confiscated their phones and ID cards, and took them to a hotel, where they were held in separate rooms.

They were told they wouldn't be allowed to continue to Baoji, and stability maintenance personnel, or "interceptors," from their hometowns of Changsha and Guangzhou were summoned to escort them back home again.

On returning to Changsha, Xie was placed under house arrest.

"They don't want this information to reach the outside world," Xie said. "There have been rumors going around that [Chang Weiping's parents] have now been detained, but ... nobody can get anywhere near [their home]."

"They are so worried that we will expose the truth," he said. "Maybe they are also worried that we might encourage more supporters to gather."

ChinaAid | RFA

The ongoing crackdown on local human rights groups casts serious doubt that Kazakhstan’s leadership is genuinely interested in reforms or improving its rights record.

On January 15, tax officials in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, fined and suspended for three months the operations of elections monitoring group Echo. On January 18, officials in Nur-Sultan, the country’s capital, fined the human rights group Erkindik Kanaty. At least four other groups – Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, International Legal Initiative, Legal Media Center, and MediaNet – have been summoned to local tax offices in the coming days. They too are under threat of fines and having their operations suspended.

Kazakh authorities harassing rights groups is, unfortunately, not new. Authorities have an arsenal of restrictive laws and overbroad charges at their disposal to use against activists and groups who do not toe the government line. For example, officials imposed bogus tax audits on three rights groups in 2017 and have repeatedly denied registration to a feminist group in recent years.

But what’s shocking about this latest attack on freedom of association in Kazakhstan is how many groups are being targeted at once and the blatantly unlawful manner in which the authorities’ are acting.

The tax authorities’ claims pertain solely to regulations around how these organizations report the receipt and expenditure of foreign funding to support their activities.

Tax authorities in cities thousands of kilometers apart brought claims against over a dozen rights groups in November 2020, in some cases, years after alleged reporting violations supposedly took place, despite a provision in the law that limits bringing such claims to two months after the alleged violation.

In 2015, when the draft law introducing these burdensome reporting obligations was under consideration, the then-United Nations special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association Maina Kiai warned its adoption may “challenge [associations’] very existence.”

Kazakhstan’s international partners – the European Union and its member states, the United States, and international organizations operating in Kazakhstan – should speak out in support of these respected human rights groups and against the coordinated and unlawful actions of the Kazakh authorities against them. Their future existence could depend on it.

HRW

Authorities in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan on Wednesday suspended the license of rights attorney Lu Siwei at a disciplinary hearing, citing his public comments on the case of the 12 Hong Kong activists detained at sea in August 2020.

Judicial authorities in Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu moved on Jan. 4 to strike Lu off, alleging that he made "inappropriate remarks" in public about the case, thereby "breaking Chinese law and professional guidelines for lawyers."

Faced with the loss of his license to practice law, Lu opted for a full hearing. He was dragged into the building by police officers on Wednesday as he showed up at the Sichuan provincial department of justice in Chengdu.

"Lawyer Lu Siwei was escorted to the justice department directly from his home in his wife's car," a lawyer at the scene, who asked to remain anonymous, told RFA on Wednesday.

"He wasn't allowed contact with anyone else, and was taken straight inside the building. His two lawyers were intercepted -- one of them got to go inside after a struggle," the lawyer said.

Xie Yanyi, who represented Lu at the hearing, dismissed the evidence brought by officials against Lu at the hearing.

"The allegations made by the investigators during the hearing over Lu Siwei's so-called violations of law and discipline were entirely fictitious; they didn't hold water," Xie told RFA.

He said the hearing had ended with the suspension of Lu's license.

"The Sichuan department of justice made no attempt to investigate the allegations, and just issued a notice of suspension of [Lu's] license without bothering to verify the details," Xie said. "It should at least have conducted a preliminary investigation."

'Illegal persecution'

He said the conduct of the hearing was tantamount to persecution.

"Everyone inside the room were insiders; this was basically a behind-closed-doors hearing," he said. "The whole process was illegal right from the start."

"Rushing to an administrative punishment in such a way ... is essentially illegal persecution," Xie said.

Consular staff sent by foreign diplomatic missions, including those of Canada, Denmark, France, the United Kingdom and the United States, were also denied entry to the hearing, which was then held behind closed doors.

The lawyer said there was a strong police presence outside the building, with checkpoints at either end of the street.

"The Department of Justice has set up police checkpoints at both ends of the road," the lawyer said. "I also saw a large police vehicle outside and seven or eight smaller ones."

"There are actually not as many police officers in uniform as plainclothes ... [the plainclothes officers] are guarding the place very tightly by following people and coming forward [when they approach the building]."

Fellow rights attorney Ren Quanniu, who also faces the loss of his lawyer's license for defending another of the Hong Kong 12, Xu Yan, wife of rights attorney Yu Wensheng, were taken away by police, the lawyer said.

"There was a standoff between them and the intercepting police officers," the lawyer said. "Some people who had gotten involved in a more intense altercation were taken straight to the local police station."

"Initially, the police denied them water, but they are saying that they have now been given lunch," the lawyer said.

Large-scale purge of lawyers since 2015

Lu and Ren both received notification around New Year that their licenses were being reviewed by their local judicial affairs bureaus because they had "posted inappropriate remarks" online.

Lu, who was never allowed to visit his client Quinn Moon in Yantian Detention Center in Shenzhen, despite being hired by her family, was particularly vocal in the months following the initial detention of the 12 protesters aged 16 to 33 by the China Coast Guard on Aug. 23, repeatedly commenting about his attempts to gain access to his client, to no avail.

In a Dec. 31 notice sent to Ren, who was hired by the family of Wong Wai-yin but similarly prevented from carrying out his instructions, judicial authorities in the central province of Henan, said his license was also under review for "violating Chinese law and professional guidelines for lawyers."

Ren's hearing will be held on Jan. 19.

On Dec. 31, 2020, a court in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong handed down jail terms of up to three years to 10 of the 12 Hong Kong protesters detained on Aug. 23 as they tried to flee a national security crackdown in the city, on charges linked to "illegally crossing a border."

The Yantian District People's Court in Guangdong's Shenzhen city sentenced Ren's client Tang Kai-yin to three years' imprisonment for "organizing others to cross a border illegally," while fellow activist Quinn Moon -- Lu's client -- was jailed for two years on the same charge.

Fellow defendants Cheng Tsz-ho, Cheung Chun-fu, Li Tsz-yin, Andy Li, Wong Wai-yin, Kok Tsz-Lun, Jim Man-him, and Cheung Ming-jyu were each jailed for seven months each for "illegally crossing a border" and fined 10,000 yuan each.

The remaining two detainees -- Liu Tsz-man and Hoang Lam-fuk -- were sent back to Hong Kong after the authorities said they wouldn't pursue charges against them, as they were under 18 at the time of their detention.

All 12 detainees were consistently denied access to defense attorneys hired by their families and allocated government-approved attorneys to represent them at a trial that was effectively held behind closed doors.

Since beginning a nationwide crackdown in July 2015, authorities in provinces and cities across China have conducted large-scale purges of lawyers deemed not to be toeing the party line, with hundreds losing their licenses in Hunan alone in September 2020.

On January 4, Attorney Ren Quanniu received a notice from Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials, employed by Henan’s department of justice, informing him that the government had revoked his license to practice law in China. Lawyer Ren believes this ruling relates to the cases of “12 Hong Kongers,” and imprisoned “Shanghai Lawyer Zhang Zhan."

RFA

Clashes around a gold mine in Thailand’s Loei province went viral Wednesday after an official fired a shot into the air during a confrontation with activists and locals.

The hashtag #เหมืองแร่เมืองเลย (Gold Mine in Loei Province) has been trending as Thai netizens try to raise awareness of the increasing concerns over pollution from gold mining in the province’s Wang Saphung district.

The hashtag had more than 60,000 Tweets Wednesday morning after the official threatened activists, locals, and students on-site with a gun late Tuesday.

Thanakit Anthara, a temporary official working for the security department of Wang Saphung district and a former headman, drove up to the mine entrance and protest site around 5:15 on Tuesday.

Seemingly intoxicated, Thanakit threatened and verbally attacked the villagers and students. He shot his handgun into the sky and threatening the activists before being taken away by officers. No one was harmed.

The incident was captured on video by UNME of Anarchy, a youth activist group. The clip posted by group leader Pai Daodin had been shared more than 3,000 times.

This incident came after villagers and activists under the organization กลุ่มฅนรักษ์บ้านเกิด (people who love their birthplace) went to the Wang Saphung police Tuesday morning calling for measures to protect villagers facing the threat of illegal and dangerous gold-mining activities.

The villagers earlier reported a group of unidentified men seen entering the gold mine, and later transporting minerals and assets out with them.

Villagers have now submitted a letter to the Director General of the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission to investigate and clarify on the incident. The office is responsible for deciding who can freely enter the mine and move its resources.

Over the past decade, hundreds of villagers and the environment have been severely affected by the gold mine in Wang Saphung, which is operated by Tungkum Limited (TKL), a subsidiary of Tongkah Harbour PCL. The mine has been accused of poisoning the villagers’ land and water supplies, causing serious health problems and damage to the environment.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha ordered the closure of the mine in 2019 and said that he would take responsibility.

Back in May 2014, some 300 armed masked men attacked villagers and activists occupying the checkpoints blocking the access to the gold mine in Wang Saphung.

Thai Enquirer

A university student was taken from his dorm in the middle of the night, charged with royal defamation, and then slapped with a cybercrime charge less than 24 hours later for refusing to give up his computer password.

Police accused Thammasat University student Sirichai “New” Nathuang of defaming His Majesty the King by spray painting political slogans on the portraits of three Royal Family members on Sunday, according to his lawyer Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen.

The 21-year-old was arrested at his home on Wednesday night and held incommunicado for several hours, Poonsuk said. It was the first time police made an arrest over royal defamation charges, or lese majeste, since the crackdown started in November. At least 40 people have been charged with lese majeste so far.

Poonsuk said police also searched Sirichai’s apartment, and refused to inform his family and lawyers where he was being held until some hours later.

“He has the right to a lawyer the moment he was arrested,” Poonsuk, who works for the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights group, said by phone. But for a considerable period, he was not allowed to call any lawyer.”

Poonsuk added that she only gained access to her client at about 1.15am on Thursday morning, and said police’s behavior could have been interpreted as an abduction.

Police Lt. Yotsawat Nitiratpattakul of Klong Luang Police station, which has jurisdiction over the case, refused to answer questions about the manner of Sirichai’s arrest.

When asked to comment on the allegation that Sirichai was not given an opportunity to consult his attorney, as given to him by the law, Lt. Yotsawat replied, “I cannot give details about that either.”

Sirichai was later charged with Computer Crime Act on Thursday evening for refusing to give up his computer password as demanded by the investigators, the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said.

He stands accused of insulting His Majesty the King by spray painting slogans calling for abolition of lese majeste offense over large portraits of the late King Bhumbol, the Queen Mother, and Princess Sirivannavari that were displayed in public areas close to his university on Sunday.

Poonsuk the attorney cast doubt on whether the lese majeste law is applicable in Sirichai’s case, since the letter of the law only covers the King, Queen, Heir Apparent, and Regent.

But the lese majeste offense, enshrined under Article 112 of the Criminal Codes, has been routinely used by the police to silence any discussions about the monarchy. The offense took a hiatus for several years – PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said it was due to His Majesty the King’s clemency – only to make a return in November.

Chaitawat Tulathon, sec-gen of the opposition Move Forward Party, said on the phone Thursday that the latest arrest under lese majeste was “disproportionate,” since the student was apprehended in the dark of the night, and had no access to lawyers for hours.

Chaitawat also said his party is preparing a proposal to amend all defamation laws, including lese majeste, which could be submitted to the Parliament as early as next Wednesday, if the House reconvenes for a meeting amid the pandemic.

On the other hand, pro-government Phalang Pracharath Party deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan said he supports the ongoing crackdown on those accused of defaming the monarchy.

“It’s a justice process,” Paiboon said by phone. “Since the law stated that it’s a violation. Even if it’s 40 people, they must be arrested. Everything is under the due process of law. I personally support the arrests. The latest case wasn’t a minor and he must fight through the justice system.”

Democrat Party spokesman Ramet Rattanachaweng said he would not comment on lese majeste cases, including the latest arrest.

“We don’t know what the facts are,” Ramet said. “This is the police duty, to find out whether someone committed a crime or not.”

Khaosod

Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 24 ordered the arrest of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and reporter Rambo Talabong for cyber libel over the latter's investigative story about an alleged corruption scheme at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (CSB).

In that scheme, students allegedly paid P20,000 to pass their thesis subject.

Judge Maria Victoria Soriano-Villadolid issued arrest warrants against Ressa and Talabong on Monday, January 11, and recommended bail amounting to P30,000 each. It was Talabong's first arrest warrant and his first libel case, while it was Ressa's 10th arrest warrant and her 3rd cyber libel case in less than two years.

Talabong, who wrote the allegedly libelous story, posted bail on Thursday, January 14, while Ressa posted bail the day before, on Wednesday, January 13 – both ahead of the service of the warrants against them. Arraignment and pre-trial of the case has been set for February 4 at 8:30 am.

Reacting to the cyber libel case against him, Talabong said, "I stand by our story. I spent weeks reporting, and weeks more doing everything, to ensure that the story is fair. This case further proves that decriminalizing libel is imperative. No journalist should be intimidated for doing his job."

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To date, there have been 28 libel/cyber libel cases filed against journalists under President Rodrigo Duterte, as of November 28, 2020, according to the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines. The story

The cyber libel complaint was filed in October 2020 by Benilde faculty member Ariel Pineda, whom a student accused of accepting payments in exchange for passing students in their thesis subjects under him.

Talabong wrote the story, "Thesis for sale: Benilde students say they paid P20,000 to pass," published on January 23, 2020, based on a documented complaint filed with the school against Pineda by a student – AK Paras – who spoke on the record. Ressa was not at all involved in the writing and editing of Talabong's story.

CSB confirmed to Rappler, as indicated in the story, that the school was already investigating Paras' complaint.

In his complaint, Pineda said that Talabong's story contained "libelous, malicious and defamatory statements using their own website and linking it to the other social media platform to ensure that they accomplished their purpose of attacking the complainant's credibility, to discredit, demean and to shame him."

As mentioned in his story, Talabong sought Pineda's side but the faculty member said through email that he would consult his superior first. Though the draft story was written in December 2019, it was not published until January 2020 to give Pineda enough time to respond to repeated requests to air his side.

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"Will have to consult your request with my superior and keep you posted," Pineda wrote Talabong in an email on January 2, 2020.

Talabong followed up with Pineda 3 more times, and tried to reach Pineda through Benilde's Export Management Program Department phone line, but he no longer received any response.

After the story was published, CSB Chancellor Robert Tang released a statement, saying that the school's Human Resources Services was "in the process of completing the investigation." No malice

In his affidavit submitted to Manila Senior Assistant City Prosecutor John Allen Farinas, Talabong said: "The care and prudence taken in verifying the information and the extent to which the side of Mr Pineda had been sought show the due diligence on my, and Rappler's, part before the story was even written and posted. This belies Mr Pineda's unfounded claim of malice."

Talabong, through Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) lawyer Ted Te, former spokesperson of the Supreme Court, argued that "there was no malice in the writing and posting of the story, which is impressed with public interest and also falls under privilege." In his story, Talabong specified that Rappler would update the article once he gets a reply from Pineda, which he never did.

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But in a resolution dated December 7, 2020, Farinas said he found "probable cause" to charge Talabong and Ressa with libel.

In a statement, Te said, "We are studying the resolution, which we disagree with, and will exhaust all possible legal remedies to have the same dismissed." Decriminalize libel

Te also said this new cyber libel case is "disturbing because it seems like cyber libel is now the first option in case of disagreement on reporting. That is the problem with libel and cyber libel laws, which make these acts criminal – a private dispute becomes a public offense where the government gets involved; as a result, the implications on freedom of expression and of the press are significant. Perhaps Congress should consider whether it is high time to decriminalize libel and cyber libel."

For its part, Rappler said in a statement that it stands by the story and the "rigorous process that we went through before publishing it. While libel suits are part of the risks that come with the profession, we also know that they are a tool that is used to intimidate journalists who expose wrongdoing."

"We reiterate the multi-sectoral call to decriminalize libel and to stop these relentless attacks against journalists who, despite obstacles thrown their way, continue to shine the light on the pandemic and other forms of everyday terror."

Rappler

Anti-caste activist Harshali Potdar was briefly arrested by Mumbai’s MRA Marg police on Monday afternoon for sharing an allegedly inflammatory Facebook post in March 2020. By evening, she was released after being made to fill out several arrest forms.

Potadar’s application for anticipatory bail in this case had been rejected by a sessions court on January 6.

The police had filed its case against Potdar on April 4, 2020, accusing her of sharing a post by a Facebook user, Mohsin Sheikh, who blamed the Central government for targeting the Muslim community and the Tablighi Jamaat group with claims that it was responsible for spreading Covid-19 in India.

The first information report claims the post appealed to Muslims to act against Brahmins, and has booked Potdar under Section 153A (1) of the Indian Penal Code, dealing with promotion of communal disharmony.

In a Facebook live video she shared after her release, Potdar denied sharing any such post. “I have given them [the police] my statement before, whenever they have asked for it – I have not shared that post,” said Potdar in the video. “But even if the police claims I have shared it, they have listed me as accused number one, and the person who wrote the post has been listed as accused number two. And the FIR also claims the post was deleted within 30 minutes.”

Potdar was arrested despite the Supreme Court itself criticising the Central government for its handling of the media coverage of the Tablighi Jamaat event. In October and November 2020, the Supreme Court pulled up the government for its inaction towards media channels that had communalised the Jamaat event. Connection to Bhima Koregaon

Potdar’s lawyer Ishrat Ali Khan also refuted these charges against her client. “She is being targeted because of her connection with the Bhima Koregaon case and because of her involvement in several protests and dharnas,” she said.

Potdar is a member of the Republican Panthers Caste Annihilation Movement, and was one of the organisers of the Elgar Parishad event that took place in Pune city on December 31, 2017 – a day before caste-based violence broke out near Bhima Koregaon in Maharashtra’s Pune district.

At least 16 activists and intellectuals have been arrested since June 2018 for allegedly conspiring to provoke the Bhima Koregaon violence. Meanwhile, no major action has been taken against two right-wing Hindutva leaders – Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote – who have also been accused of making provocative speeches before the Bhima Koregaon vioence.

Although Potdar was one of the accused in the case, she has not been arrested or charge-sheeted for it so far.

In her Facebook video on Monday, Potdar claimed her arrest was an intimidation tactic, likely because organisers of the 2017 Elgar Parishad have announced another Elgar event in Pune on January 30 in support of the 16 arrested activists.

“Through such false cases, the police is trying to spread fear among activists working in the Ambedkarite and progressive movements so that they don’t come forward to do their work,” Potdar said. “But they will not be able to silence us like this.” Unauthorised arrest

Potdar has also questioned the MRA Marg police about the manner in which she was arrested while she was in a public place. “I was eating in a restaurant with a few activist friends when four or five police officials in civil dress surrounded us and demanded that I go to the police station with them,” Potdar said in the Facebook video. The officials did not have any summons or arrest warrant, she said, and refused to tell her why they wanted to arrest her. “They also asked me to surrender my phone, which I refused to do, since they did not have a seizure panchnama.”

At the police station, she was not allowed to speak to her lawyer or activist friends, and was told about the case in which she was arrested only after making her fill up arrest forms. “At around 6.30 pm, after informing my family and lawyer that I would be in the lock-up tonight, they suddenly told me they were releasing me,” she said. “So then what was the dramatic arrest all about? Only the police can answer.”

Officials at the MRA Marg Police Station were unavailable for comment.

Scroll

Dozens of people protesting Kazakhstan’s opposition-free election were detained in the country’s capital and in its principal city, but were released after several hours.

Five parties are competing Sunday for seats in the lower house of parliament, but all are loyal to the government. The country’s only registered opposition party declined to field candidates.

More than 30 demonstrators were detained in the principal city of Almaty, according to the news agency Akipress. The Interfax news agency said more protesters were also detained in the capital, Nur-Sultan.

Deputy Interior Minister Arystangani Zapparov said late Sunday that all those detained had been released without charges.

The ruling Nur Otan party is expected to maintain or increase its current domination of the parliament of the former Soviet republic, which is rich in oil, gas and mineral resources.

The party is headed by former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who was in power from independence in 1991 until his resignation last year.

Although he stepped down, he retains significant power as head of the national security council.

AP News

In Nur-Sultan Azattyk correspondent Saniya Toiken reported facing obstacles from the security forces while covering the detention of civic activists who the police accused of holding an unsanctioned protest against the unfair elections. The police detained the activists and took them in a minibus to the police station. Toiken reported that one police officer forcibly took away her phone, damaging it in the process and deleting several items from its memory before returning it to her.

International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR)

An aggressive crowd-control tactic known as “kettling” has been taken to such an extreme against a few dozen protesters in Kazakhstan that human rights groups are calling it torture.

Police in Almaty also used loudspeakers to intimidate the handful of anti-government demonstrators on January 10 -- repeatedly playing a song by a Kazakh pop star who later performed for a celebration of U.S. President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

Kettling has caused controversy in the West, where it is used to contain crowds of more than 1,000 people that are deemed by authorities to include violent participants.

Rather than trying to arrest violent individuals or disperse a crowd en masse, police temporarily trap everyone together within a small area -- only gradually allowing people to leave. Usually, crowds are blockaded for a few hours or less.

In London and Washington, Seattle, Chicago, New York, and Toronto, kettling has been used during the past 20 years to contain massive anti-war rallies, anti-globalization demonstrations, and protests by the Black Lives Matter movement.

The tactic also was used against demonstrators near President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2017.

Critics argue that kettling increases the potential for violence -- rather than defusing tensions -- because it traps people together in close proximity.

Some courts in the United States and Britain have deemed kettling to be illegal because it targets entire groups indiscriminately and because individuals who aren’t part of a demonstration can also be trapped within police barricades.

Kazakh 'Kettling'

When a few dozen Kazakh activists tried to march in Almaty on January 10, the day of Kazakhstan’s recent parliamentary elections, the apparent goal of authorities was to snuff out democratic dissent and intimidate people from staging future demonstrations.

The incident was part of a wider, ongoing policy of crackdowns that has cast doubt on President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev’s pledge to make political reforms and improve human rights in the former Soviet republic, which is the largest country in Central Asia.

The security forces in Almaty surrounded two groups of about a dozen people who were calling for constitutional reforms and an end to the dominant rule of former President Nursultan Nazarbaev’s Nur Otan party.

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, police wearing masks and riot gear forced one group to stand bunched together in freezing temperatures for nine hours without food, water, or an opportunity to use a bathroom.

Another group that included a pregnant woman and two children was forced to stand together like canned sardines for seven hours.

Meanwhile, police took turns in rotating shifts so they could rest, eat, and stay warm.

At least one demonstrator collapsed with hypothermia and had to be taken away in an ambulance before authorities allowed the protesters to leave.

Psychologically Chilling

Inga Imanbai, a freelance journalist known for critical reports about the Kazakh government, was among those who were kettled and forced to stand in the cold for hours.

“First, there were police provocations for about 40 minutes,” Imanbai told RFE/RL. “Then they brought in loudspeakers and played the song Blizzard Again [super loud] about 20 times in a row. I accepted it as a kind of psychological pressure.”

Blizzard Again is a love song by the internationally renown Kazakh pop star Dimash Kudaibergen.

With lyrics in the Kazakh language, Kudaibergen repeatedly sings the chorus refrain: “My heart is freezing. I feel the chill in my soul.”

Imanbai explains that the innocuous love song, when used as a psychological weapon against hedged-in Kazakh protesters, has an even more chilling connotation.

In that context, she says, the title Blizzard Again hints at a deadly crackdown launched by Soviet authorities in December 1986 against thousands of young Kazakhs who dared to stage anti-Kremlin protests in the streets of Alma-Ata -- now known as Almaty.

The unexpected and unprecedented “December” protests were a response to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s removal of Dinmukhamed Kunaev as first secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan.

Gorbachev replaced the ethnic Kazakh leader with an outsider from Russia named Gennady Kolbin.

The December protests were tolerated for two days. But on the third day, Soviet security forces launched a brutal crackdown codenamed Operation Blizzard.

The actual death toll from Operation Blizzard may never be known.

Officially, Soviet authorities claimed three people were killed. But witnesses say the real number was much higher.

Many young Kazakhs who took part in the protests were later sent to Soviet prisons or expelled from their universities.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the December protest movement was used by Nazarbaev and his successive governments as a symbol of Kazakh independence.

That has ensured that all Kazakhs remember Operation Blizzard and, for them, brings an ominous double meaning to the song title Blizzard Again.

International View

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the U.S.-based nongovernmental group Human Rights Watch have condemned the kettling operations of police in Almaty as “repressive tactics against peaceful demonstrators.”

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) concludes that crowd-control tactics like kettling should only be used by authorities in exceptional cases.

The OSCE’s guidelines on freedom of peaceful assembly state: “Tactics of holding protesters in a confined space, known as ‘kettling,’ and other such tactics are characterized by the fact that they do not distinguish between those who participate and those who do not participate in the meeting, or between peaceful and nonpeaceful participants.”

The United Nations’ Human Rights Committee (OHCHR) says police operations to surround and block a group of demonstrators should “only be applied if necessary.”

A body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the OHCHR, says such measures should be applied in proportion to the need to “suppress actual committed violence or to eliminate the imminent threat of violence.”

In many cases, the OHCHR concludes, specific individuals should be targeted rather than entire groups.

It says “particular attention should be paid to blocking, as far as possible, only those directly involved in the violence” and limiting the duration of kettling operations to “the minimum time necessary.”

RFERL

Togzhan Kozhalieva, leader of the Halyqqa Adal Qyzmet (Service for Justice to People) Movement (HAQ) said that in Shymkent on 9 January law enforcement officials detained HAQ activist Amanulla Ramankulov who had in his possession 600 election observer certificates for members of the movement: 300 for the South Kazakhstan region and 300 for the Kyzylorda region. The certificates were seized and returned later in the day muddled up and it was then impossible to separate them by region. The police reportedly apologised and said that there were no grounds for the arrest.

International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR)

Nepal Police arrested citizens for protesting peacefully at a program in Dhangadhi on January 8. Dhangadhi lies in the Sudurpaschim Province of Nepal.

Local youths Binod Khadka, Aarud Sah, Sagar Joshi, Rajendra Shahi, Pravin Khadka, Suresh Joshi, and Naresh Prasad Joshi were arrested for wearing t-shirt with slogans- Where is the rapist of Nirmala Panta?

Nirmala Panta, a 13-year old girl was raped and murdered in Kanchanpur in 2018. The locals claim the 'accused is still roaming scot-free'. The investigation authority had earlier stated that the perpetrator would be arrested soon but no action has been taken yet.

The youths had worn t-shirts to create pressure on government to arrest and punish the rapist and murderer of Nirmala Panta. The program was being addressed by the Prime Minister.

Other attendees in the program also shared that they were not even allowed to wear black mask.

Youths were detained for four hours and released later, informed chief of District Police Office, Kailali.

Freedom Forum condemns the incident as it is gross violation of citizen's right to peaceful protest. It has resulted in suppression of freedom of expression. Such incidents represent government's authoritarian move and intolerance towards public criticism. Citizen's right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest is guaranteed by Nepal's constitution.

Nepal Press Freedom

On January 8, the Higher People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City rejected the appeals of four members of the unsanctioned group Hiến Pháp (Constitution), upholding the sentences given by the People’s Court of HCM City at the first-instance hearing on July 31 last year, Defend the Defenders has learned.

According to the court’s decision, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hanh has to serve eight years in prison and three years of probation while Mr. Ngo Van Dung, Mr. Le Quy Loc and Mr. Ho Dinh Cuong have to spend next five years behind bar followed by two years of probation each. They were arrested in early September 2018 on the allegation of “disruption of security” under Article 118 of the Criminal Code.

Nearly five months ago, at the first-instance hearing, the People’s Court of HCM City convicted eight members of the unsanctioned group Hiến Pháp (Constitution) of “disruption of security” for their active participation in the mass demonstration to protest two bills on Special Economic Zones and Cyber Security in HCM City on June 10, 2018 and their plan to hold peaceful protests in early September of the same year. After just one day review, the court gave Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hanh eight years in prison, Mrs. Hoang Thi Thu Vang- seven, Ms. Doan Thi Hong two and half years, Mr. Ngo Van Dung, Mr. Do The Hoa and Mr. Le Quy Loc five years each, Mr. Ho Dinh Cuong four and half years, and Mr. Tran Thanh Phuong three and half years in prison.

In addition, Mr. Dung, Mr. Cuong, Mr. Phuong, and Ms. Hong were given two years of probation after serving their imprisonment. Four others were given three-year probation.

After the trial, four of them, Ms. Hanh, Mr. Dung, Mr. Loc and Mr. Cuong protested the court’s decisions and appealed.

Hiến Pháp was established in 2017 with the aim of enhancing civil rights in Vietnam by disseminating the country’s Constitution which was ratified by the communist-controlled parliament in 2013. The eight convicted members, together with others of the group were active during the mass demonstration in HCM City on June 10, 2018 in which tens of thousands of people from all social classes rallied on streets to protest two bills on Special Economic Zones and Cyber Security. The first bill is considered to favor Chinese investors to purchase land in Vietnam amid increasing concerns of Beijing’s intensifying aggressiveness in the East Sea (South China Sea). The second which was approved by the communist-controlled parliament and became effective from January 1, 2019, is considered an effective tool to silence online government critics.

Members of the group planned to hold the second peaceful demonstration in early September of the same year on the occasion of Vietnam’s Independence Day (September 2) to protest the socio-economic policies of the communist regime. However, they were abducted by security forces in HCM City a few days before the action date. Their fate and whereabouts remained unknown for months as the police held them incommunicado without informing their families, possibly rising to the level of enforced disappearance under international law, and even after the families had been informed of the detention they remained incommunicado for nearly a year.

In mid-April last year, Mr. Dung and Mr. Loc were brutally beaten by police officers while being held in Phan Dang Luu temporary detention center under the authority of HCM City Police Department. Due to the severe injuries, both were taken to a hospital for urgent treatment for ten days.

Despite doing nothing harmful for the country, Hiến Pháp group has been targeted by Vietnam’s communist regime. Two members of the group Pham Minh The and Huynh Truong Ca were convicted of “abusing democratic freedom” and “anti-state propaganda” with respective imprisonment of two years and five and half years in 2018-2019. Mr. The was released on July 10 last year, three months before his imprisonment term was set to end.

Three other members of the group fled to Thailand to seek political asylum to avoid being punished by the Vietnamese regime.

Ms. Le Thi Binh became the latest activist being arrested last year, got detained on December 22 and charged with “abusing democratic freedom.” Binh is also a member of the Hiến Pháp group.

All of them are listed as prisoners of conscience by Defend the Defenders. According to the Hanoi-based human rights group, Vietnam’s communist regime is holding at least 258 prisoners of conscience.

Defend the Defenders

Former Chinese journalist and renowned critic of internet censorship Zhang Jialong was sentenced to 18 months in prison on January 8 for his remarks on social media that were allegedly aimed at "spreading false information and provoking trouble". The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the assault on freedom of speech and calls on Chinese authorities to overturn the verdict and release Zhang immediately.

The 32-year-old former journalist with Caijing, a Beijing-based magazine, and Tencent was found guilty of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a broadly defined charge often levelled by the authorities against those who are critical of the Chinese government.

Zhang was jailed for 18 months, his wife Shao Yuan said after being notified by Zhang’s lawyer on January 8.

Zhang was arrested at his residence in Guiyang, Guizho Province on August 12, 2019 and has been held in police custody ever since. The authorities later accused him of spreading false information defaming the Chinese Communist Party on Twitter.

His Twitter posts related to human rights issues and internet freedoms in China.

Zhang has been detained since August and is therefore expected to be released on February 12. Nevertheless, Zhang reportedly vowed to appeal against the ruling.

Zhang has been targeted by the Chinese authorities for several years. In February 2014, hemade headlines after asking the then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to help “tear down this great firewall that blocks the Internet” during their meeting in Beijing.

He later published an op-ed in the global magazine Foreign Policy, calling on the U.S. government to deny visas to those involved in building and maintaining the Chinese great firewall of censorship. He was subsequently fired from Tencent.

IFJ

Seeking an end to house detention of National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) national convenor Richa Singh and withdrawal of notice issued to activist Ramjanam under the Goondas Act, NAPM has said in a statement that the Uttar Pradesh police’s action is “arbitrary”, underlining, “The farmers’ movement cannot be quelled by detaining activists and protestors.” Asking the Uttar Pradesh government to “stop the draconian clampdown on democratic rights” in the state, NAPM said, these incidents are part of “a broader pattern” of stifling “democratic rights of activists and leaders of farmers’ organisations across Uttar Pradesh and in other states of India”, adding, “It reflects a rising trend to suppress voices of dissent and people’s demands, contravening the Supreme Court’s stand that protest is people’s constitutional right.” National Alliance of People’s Movements is deeply agitated at the arbitrary house detention of Richa Singh, founder member of Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, national convenor of NAPM, and a committed activist who has been working with women, workers, dalits and farmers for three decades in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh. The UP police have detained her since the evening of 7th Jan, without an order or appropriate explanation. Circumstances of the house detention of Richa On January 7, Richa Singh was stopped by the police, as she was joining the tractor rally in support of the farmers’ protests, in Sitapur, UP. While she was permitted to join the rally after speaking to the authorities, she was followed by two plainclothes police personnel. On the evening of the same day, she was placed under house arrest and prevented from accessing medical care in Lucknow. The Sitapur kotwal, the City Magistrate and the CO, visited her house but were unwilling to provide more than ambiguous information regarding the reasons for her detention. Lack of clarity regarding reasons for detention In spite of multiple attempts to learn the reason why she has been placed under house arrest, the authorities only indicated that, based on ‘information’ they had received, they suspected she intended to join the farmers’ protests in Delhi. The details of this information have not been shared with her, contravening Richa Singh’s civil rights to be informed of the basis for her house arrest. There also does not seem to be an order for the arrest. The authorities refused to take into account her repeated attempts to indicate that her intention was to visit a doctor in Lucknow, rather than join the farmers’ protests in Delhi. At the same time, participation in the farmers’ protests in itself could not have constituted grounds for house arrest, by any stretch of imagination. Targeted state suppression of protest All these incidents are part of a broader pattern of arbitrary detentions of democratic rights activists and leaders of farmer’s organisations across Uttar Pradesh and in other states of India. It reflects a rising trend to suppress voices of dissent and people’s demands, contravening the Supreme Court’s stand that protest is people’s constitutional right. Leaders and activists from various states, as well as members of the civil society, have been placed under house arrest and prevented from showing solidarity with the farmers’ protests from the beginning of the movement, including from holding local protests and joining the movement in Delhi. While this often takes place in the name of preventing the spread of the Coronavirus, it is in circumstances such as the present house arrest that the actual intention of the authoritarian State to clamp down on dissenting voices becomes clear.

Counterview

On 7 January 2021, the Guwahati High Court rejected the bail plea of human rights defender, Akhil Gogoi. The defender has been in jail since 12 December 2019, in connection with a case relating to the Anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests, filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Since his initial arrest, multiple First Informations Reports have been booked against him, all relating to the anti CAA protests, with charges including sedition. While in detention, in July 2020, Akhil Gogoi tested positive for COVID-19 and was moved to a hospital for immediate care.

A special NIA court had previously granted bail to Akhil Gogoi in one of the cases being probed by the NIA. Currently, the defender is being detained at the Guwahati Central Jail.

FLD

On Jan. 7, the Pizhou Municipal People's Court in the eastern province of Jiangsu jailed journalist Li Xinde for five years after finding him guilty of "illegal business activity."

Li’s son Li Chao was handed a one-year jail term at the same time.

'A very dangerous business'

Li was first detained by police in October 2019 and placed in "residential surveillance at a designated location (RSDL)," not long after he published a claim that a court in Tianjin had wrongfully convicted a businessman.

Li, an investigative reporter, founded and ran the China Public Watchdog Network, which had a focus on exposing corrupt officials.

Beijing-based rights lawyer Liu Xiaoyuan commented via Twitter: "To speak out on behalf of those suffering injustice in today's society, and to monitor the agencies wielding state power, is a very dangerous business."

Zhang Yu, who heads the writers' group Independent Chinese PEN, said charges of "illegal business activity" are often brought against peaceful critics of the CCP.

"The main charge used to suppress freedom of speech in China is incitement to subvert state power, but they have to show in what part of their speech or writing they did that," Zhang told RFA.

"They may use illegal business activity if what they said was particularly sensitive, or if they can't really find evidence to support [subversion] charges in what they said or wrote," Zhang said. "It has nothing to do with [the defendant] actually having conducted illegal business activity."

RFA

The Hong Kong government should not file charges against the 53 pro-democracy politicians arbitrarily arrested on January 6, 2021, Human Rights Watch said today. All were arrested for “subversion” under Hong Kong’s draconian National Security Law (NSL), which the Chinese government imposed on June 30, 2020.

The 53 men and women arrested span the spectrum of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. They include veteran politicians and activists, such as Leung “Long Hair” Kwok-hung and Claudio Mo, and newcomers who joined the movement during the 2019 protests. The latter include Jeffrey Andrews, a social worker serving the city’s ethnic minority community, and Lee Chi Yung, a disability rights advocate. Many represent a broad cross-section of grassroots society long excluded from the city’s governance.

“Hong Kong authorities’ claims that discussing candidates and advocating for government action is somehow subversive is ludicrous,” said Maya Wang, senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch. “It’s increasingly clear that Beijing’s commitment to Hong Kong’s ‘high degree of autonomy’ isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.”

Hong Kong police said that a public opinion poll conducted in July 2020 regarding pro-democracy candidates for an upcoming Legislative Council (LegCo) election constituted “subversion.” They said those arrested violated article 22 of the National Security Law, which states that anyone who “organizes, plans, commits or participates” in “seriously interfering, disrupting or undermining” the performance of the Hong Kong or central government bodies are subject to a penalty of up to life in prison for “principal offenders.” Among the 53 arrested, police said, six were organizers.

The legal definitions of “subversion” and other NSL crimes are overly broad and vague, and can include the peaceful exercise of human rights, enshrined in Hong Kong’s de facto constitution, the Basic Law. These rights are also protected under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which is incorporated into Hong Kong’s legal framework via the Basic Law and expressed in the Bill of Rights Ordinance.

All but one of those arrested are being released on bail. Charges have yet to be brought against the 53, though they have to surrender their passports as a condition of bail. The prosecution said that Wu Chi-wai, former chairman of the Democratic Party, has kept one of his passports even though he was ordered to surrender his travel documents as part of bail conditions in an earlier case. Wu remains detained.

In addition, the police have frozen HK$1.6 million (US$206,000) in connection with the poll and delivered court warrants to four news organizations that require them to hand over information to the police for investigation. Hong Kong police should release Wu immediately, lift all bail conditions, and return everyone’s travel documents, Human Rights Watch said.

Since the Chinese government imposed the National Security Law in June, the authorities have intimidated and arbitrarily arrested pro-democracy activists, and encouraged people to report on one another to remove pro-democracy figures from key sectors of society, including education, the media, and civil service.

Beijing and the Hong Kong government have also accelerated their assault on the previously semi-democratic LegCo. Since 2016, they have disqualified pro-democracy activists from running for seats or unseated them after they were elected. Following the passage of the National Security Law, the Hong Kong government delayed the September 2020 LegCo elections for a year. Beijing then expelled four pro-democracy members of the legislature, leading other pro-democracy legislators to resign in protest. The arrests of the 53 politicians appears part of Beijing’s increasing actions to exert full control over the LegCo, Human Rights Watch said.

Concerned governments, including the United Kingdom, European Union countries, and the incoming Biden administration in the United States, should press for appointment of a United Nations special mandate holder to monitor and report on Hong Kong’s human rights developments, Human Rights Watch said. They should also impose coordinated targeted sanctions on officials responsible for violating the human rights of people in Hong Kong. Legislators around the world should express solidarity with their Hong Kong counterparts.

“Governments should urgently take concerted and concrete actions to ensure that Beijing pays a price for its escalating abusive behavior,” Wang said. “Standing with Hong Kong’s democrats needs to be more than a rhetorical commitment.”

HRW | HKFP

The Hong Kong police served four media organisations with court warrants requiring the handing in of internal documents related to July's primary elections on January 6. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Hong Kong Journalists' Association (HKJA), expressed concern about the chilling effect that such acts will have on the press and called on Hong Kong authorities to stop harassing journalists and media organisations.

On January 6, the Hong Kong police’s national security department turned up at the offices of online news outlets StandNews and InMedia, as well as media group Next Digital and its subsidiary newspaper Apple Daily with court orders. The media organisations were reportedly asked to hand in information about the pro-democracy camp’s primary elections held in July 2020 within seven days.

The police did not search the newsrooms.

Steve Li Kwai-Wah, a senior superintendent at the National Security Division, said during a press conference on January 6 that the authorities were not seeking to obtain journalistic materials. According to Li, the police were asking the media outlets to provide assistance in the investigation.

Both Apple Daily and StandNews said they would be seeking legal advice on the matter. Editor-in-chief of StandNews Chung Pui-kuen also said he was asked not to disclose details about the court order.

This came hours after the Hong Kong authorities arrested 53 pro-democracy leaders for their involvement in the primaries last year, including former lawmakers, district councillors, activists, and scholars. The authorities said the unofficial vote to choose opposition candidates for the city’s now postponed Legislative Council elections was part of a plan to “overthrow” the government.Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam, a journalist-turned-politician who used to work with StandNews and the BBC, was one of the detainees.

According to Ho’s Facebook admin, the police searched Ho’s residence and took away business cards and electronic devices she had used when working for the BBC. Ho was released on bail late on January 7.

IFJ

On January 5, 2021, the People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City sentenced 3 members of the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam (IJAVN) to a total of 37 years in prison and nine years of probation on charges of “making, storing, spreading information, materials, items for the purpose of opposing the State of Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under Article 117 of the Criminal Code.

Pham Chi Dung, the IJAVN’s President, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and three years of probation; both Vice President Nguyen Tuong Thuy and another young member, Le Huu Minh Tuan, received 11 years in prison and three years of probation each.

This unjust trial does not comply with international standards for fair trials. The defendants were kept incommunicado for many months from their arrest until December 2020 when they were allowed to see their lawyers for the first time. During their less than 6 hours court trial, the judges did not listen to the lawyers’ arguments and the defendants’ testimonies.

The IJAVN is a civil society organization of independent journalists fighting for press freedom in Vietnam. Since its founding in 2014, its members and collaborators have published thousands of articles about the situation of Vietnam, frankly criticizing the communist regime and officials for their blatant violations of their citizens’ rights and serious socio-economic mismanagement.

This is exactly the reason that the Vietnamese communist authorities want to annihilate the IJAVN and suppress its members for many years, and the arrest and conviction of the three leaders reached the highest point.

Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, and Le Huu Minh Tuan were sentenced to extremely heavy sentences for exercising their right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of association. Those are the basic rights stated in the Vietnamese Constitution and international human rights conventions that the Vietnamese communist government has signed and committed to honor.

Vietnam Human Rights Network, Defend the Defenders, and Human Rights Relief Foundation believe that Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, and Le Huu Minh Tuan have not violated any Vietnamese law, and that their arrests, detentions and convictions are completely unjustified.

Therefore, we ask the communist government of Vietnam

To annul the verdicts, eliminate all accusations, and release immediately and unconditionally the three journalists;
To immediately stop the suppression of the IJAVN and other independent journalists and Facebookers, guarantee fundamental freedoms, in particular the rights to freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of the press and access to information;
To repeal Article 117 of the National Security provision of the Criminal Code which is used to suppress peaceful dissidents.

We call on independent civil society organizations and individuals as well as the international community to speak up for the freedom of the three recently convicted independent journalists.

End of the press release

Defend the Defenders

Another prominent ethnic Pashtun rights activist, Said Alam Mahsud, has been arrested in Pakistan on charges of making “anti-state” and “anti-military” comments.

Sanna Ejaz, a leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), told RFE/RL that Mahsud appeared before a court in Peshawar on January 4 where a judge ordered him remanded in custody for four days.

Mahsud was arrested at his home in the northwestern city late on January 3 after he attended a protest earlier in the day demanding the release of other PTM leaders and activists from custody.

In a video widely circulated on Facebook and Twitter, Mahsud is seen greeting the policemen in Pashto and then asking, “Am I being arrested?” After a policeman says “yes,” he responds “no problem” in English and then accompanies them.

PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen called Mahsud’s arrest an “extremely oppressive” act while Mohsin Dawar, a lawmaker and PTM leader, denounced what he called an “undeclared crackdown" against the group.

PTM activists staged demonstrations on January 3 in several cities and towns in Pakistan, demanding the release of recently arrested leaders and members of the PTM, which has campaigned since 2018 for the civil rights of Pakistan’s estimated 35 million ethnic Pashtuns.

Ali Wazir, a lawmaker and PTM leader, has been arrested on sedition charges over accusations he made anti-state comments during an unsanctioned rally in Karachi on December 6.

His arrest triggered mass protests in dozens of cities and towns across Pakistan on December 18. After the protests, two other PTM members were arrested in Karachi.

The PTM has attracted tens of thousands of people to public rallies in recent years to denounce the powerful Pakistani Army's heavy-handed tactics in its fight against the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups in the country's northwest.

Gandhara

On 3 January, Thanakon (last name withheld), 17, received a summons on a Section 112 charge issued by Buppharam Police Station. TLHR said that the charge is likely to be related to a demonstration on 6 December 2020 at Wongwian Yai.

Jiratita (last name withheld), 23, was also charged with royal defamation for a speech given at the protest on 2 December 2020 at the Lad Phrao intersection. Anon Nampa, Parit Chiwarak, Shinawat Chankrachang and Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul also face Section 112 charges for their involvement in the same protest.

TLHR noted that the charges against those involved in the 2 December protest were filed by a member of the public, which shows the problem of anyone being able to file a complaint under this law, therefore allowing it to be used by various political factions against each other.

Meanwhile, several protest leaders have received further charges under Section 112. Parit is now facing 12 counts, Anon is facing 8 counts, Panusaya is facing 6 counts, while Panupong is facing 5 counts.

Prachatai

Thousands of Pakistani Internet users have called for boycotts of these two Urdu-language services and have threatened their journalists in the course of a two-week-old hate and defamation campaign.

A video posted on 2 January on Siasat.pk, a news and discussion site that supports Pakistan’s ruling party and armed forces, attacks the “personal opinions and political inclinations” of BBC Urdu’s journalists. Shared by thousands of people on Twitter, it also accuses the BBC of pursuing an editorial policy that is “against the army and the government.”

The surnames, first names, jobs and Twitter account details of ten BBC Urdu journalists were posted online at the same time as the video. Analysis of the comments indicates that this campaign is being orchestrated in reprisal for several editorials and op-ed pieces regarded as overly critical of the authorities.

“Surprise”

One of the 10 journalists attacked in the video is Asma Shirazi, who received the Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism in 2014. “I’m told to be less critical,” she told RSF. “This is not the first time I’ve received such threats. I’m being bombarded because of my opinions. This online vilification is part of a grand design to silence professional and independent journalists.”

Shirazi said she had received threatening calls. By way of a threat, one caller told her that she could “get surprise” if she did not stop writing critical op-ed pieces for BBC Urdu. “I don’t know what surprise they could give me,” she said. ”One surprise might be the discovery of drugs or explosives in my car during a roadside search.”

Threats were also made against Pakistani journalists working for The Independent in late December after its Urdu website posted a story about the deaths of four Pakistani soldiers in a helicopter crash. They were criticized for not referring to the dead soldiers as “martyrs” – the term that the Pakistani armed forces try to impose in such cases.

When reached by RSF, the editor of The Independent’s Urdu-language news site confirmed that his staff were concerned about this hate campaign. Thousands of Internet users have been calling for the site to be banned using the #BoycottIndyUrdu hashtag.

“Extremely dangerous”

“These online hate campaigns, orchestrated by trolls at the military high command’s behest, not only threaten press freedom but are also extremely dangerous for the journalists who are the targets of the death threats,” said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk.

“Calling for journalists to be murdered, with the aim of intimidating and silencing anyone critical of the authorities, is completely unacceptable. We urge the federal government to disown such calls, and we ask the prosecutor’s office to initiate proceedings against all those responsible for these threats.”

RSF accused the Pakistani authorities of complicity by failing to take action to stop the online harassment of outspoken women journalists in August 2020, when the harassment was condemned by a women journalists collective.

Pakistan is ranked 145th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index.

RSF

An Afghan journalist and human rights activist was shot and killed Friday by unidentified gunmen in western Afghanistan, the fifth journalist to be killed in the war-ravaged country in the past two months, a provincial spokesman said.

Bismillah Adil Aimaq was on the road near Feroz Koh, the provincial capital of Ghor, returning home to the city after visiting his family in a village nearby, when gunmen opened fire at the vehicle.

According to the provincial governor's spokesman, Arif Abir, others in the car, including Aimaq's brother, were unharmed. Aimaq worked as the head of the local Radio Sada-e-Ghor station and was also a human rights activist in the province.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the shooting. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid insisted the insurgents were in no way connected with the shooting.

Aimaq was the fifth journalist slain in attacks in the past two months. Last week, Rahmatullah Nekzad, who headed the journalists' union in eastern Ghazni province, was killed in an attack by armed men outside his home. Nekzad was well known in the area and had contributed to The Associated Press since 2007. He had previously worked for the Al Jazeera satellite TV channel.

Afghanistan's intelligence department said two perpetrators in that attack were subsequently arrested and it aired video recordings of the two, with their purported confessions to the slaying and to being Taliban members. However, the Taliban denied involvement in the killing, calling it a cowardly act. Large swaths of Ghazni province are under Taliban control.

The Islamic State group, blamed for a series of attacks on a variety of targets in Afghanistan in recent months, said it had killed another Afghan journalist earlier in December. Two assailants opened fire and killed TV anchorwoman Malala Maiwand as she left her house in eastern Nangarhar province. Her driver also was killed.

In November, two journalists were killed in separate bombings.

Rights groups react

The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned the relentless attacks on journalists in Afghanistan. The international press freedom group Reporters Without Borders has called the country one of the world's deadliest for journalists.

Earlier this week, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission said the targeted killings of Afghan journalists have negatively impacted reporting in the country and led to self-censorship in the media community. The statement said several female journalists have left their jobs in the provinces because of ongoing threats.

The statement further said most journalists are not able to go out openly in some provinces, and that the government has been negligent when they reported the threats they were facing.

Targeted killings and violence have increased across Afghanistan even as the Taliban and Kabul government continue to hold peace negotiations that began in September. The talks, after some recent procedural progress, have been suspended until early January, and there is speculation the resumption could be further delayed.

VoA News

At least 16 people were taken into custody after riot police broke up an impromptu prawn market set up by pro-democracy activists on Thursday.

The stunt was marked as a “New Year’s Eve surprise” by the campaigners, who said they want to help seafood businesses that bore the brunt of the new coronavirus outbreak. But police declared the gathering illegal and moved in to make arrests.

Activist leader Piyarat “Toto” Chongthep is one of the 16 people detained by the police. Reports say they will be charged with violating the Emergency Decree’s ban on gatherings, breaching public health regulations, and using loudspeakers without permission.

Demonstrators initially gathered on Sanam Luang with their shrimp stall on Thursday morning, but police soon arrived and dispersed them from the field. Scuffles also broke out as police made arrests. One woman said she would file an assault complaint against the police for beating her during the operation.

The protesters later moved to Ratchadamnoen Avenue, where they were selling the shrimps at the price of 359 baht per kilogram to pedestrians. By afternoon, riot police armed with shields moved in and made more arrests.

Citing threats of the coronavirus, the government on Tuesday bans all gatherings unless they receive special exemptions from the authorities. Health officials report over 180 new coronavirus cases on Thursday as the second wave of the outbreak continued to spread across the country.

Thailand has confirmed a total of 6,884 coronavirus cases and 61 deaths.

The virus resurgence, which has been traced to a shrimp market in Samut Sakhon province, also plunged the seafood industry into a slump. A seafood vendor also killed himself last week after suffering dire financial losses.

Khaosod

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that Nat (pseudonym), one of the admins for the Facebook page “Khana Ratsadon,” was arrested on 31 December, after the police searched their house and confiscated their phones, yellow duck calendars, and commemorative medals.

Nat was taken to Nongkhaem Police Station and charged with royal defamation. The police claimed that the calendars contain images and messages which insult the monarchy.

TLHR also said that, during the arrest, the officers did not present an arrest warrant or inform Nat of their rights.

The police denied bail to Nat at the inquiry level, who was therefore held at Nongkhaem Police Station over the New Year holiday while the court was closed.

Nat was taken to Taling Chan Criminal Court on 2 January 2021 for a temporary detention request. Their lawyer objected to the request on the ground that the arrest was unlawful, as the officers did not present an arrest warrant and the arrest was not due to a flagrant offence.

The Court accepted the temporary request. However, Nat was later granted bail using Move Forward Party’s Amarat Chokepamitkul’s MP position as security and was released.

Prachatai

Fifty-one academics, human rights activists and lawyers have issued a statement demanding the release of Rohingya photographer Abul Kalam, who they claim landed in jail on Thursday for taking photos of buses departing Kutupalong for Bhasan Char.

Photographer Abul Kalam was brought to the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court in Ukhiya on Thursday with charges of impeding officers from discharging their duties during an incident that happened over seven months ago, according to court documents obtained by The Daily Star.

Organisers said Kalam was sent to Cox's Bazar Jail by a magistrate on Thursday.

However, Public Prosecutor Faridul Alam of Cox's Bazar said he was not aware of any such development.

The Daily Star has not been able to independently verify whether Kalam was sent to jail.

The case in which Kalam has been accused was filed by Kutupalong Camp-in-charge Khalilur Rahman on June 1 last year, according to the first information report.

It said the accused assaulted officials and obstructed public servants from discharging their duties.

Khalilur Rahman's phone was found switched off last night.

The statement issued yesterday read, "On the morning of December 28, 2020, Abul Kalam, an award-winning photographer and Rohingya refugee, set out to take photographs of buses departing the Kutupalong camps for Bhasan Char. He was apprehended and then taken to the camp-in-charge in Camp 2W, Block D5 of Kutupalong, and subsequently, to the camp-in-charge of Kutupalong Registered Camp."

The signatories to the statement include Dr C R Abrar, eminent rights activist; renowned photographer Shahidul Alam; Sara Hossain, honorary executive director, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust; Dr Ambia Perveen, chair, European Rohingya Council; Professor Dina M Siddiqi, Faculty of Liberal Studies, New York University; Shireen Huq, coordinator, Standing with Rohingya Women, and founding member of Naripokkho; Ai Weiwei, Chinese contemporary artist and activist; and Bianca Jagger, a Council of Europe goodwill ambassador.

"Photography is not a crime. Abul Kalam was taking photographs of buses on their way to Bhasan Char. He was doing so in a public place, albeit in a refugee camp. The relocation to Bhasan Char is a widely publicised programme of the Bangladesh government. It is by no means a secret and has been extensively covered in the media," said the statement.

The statement said Abul Kalam has been a refugee in Bangladesh for 28 years.

"Abul Kalam is 35 years old. He originally came from Borgozbil, Maungdaw, Myanmar. He is a prolific photographer and has documented refugee life in recent years. His images have appeared in many publications, and he recently won two prizes in the Rohingya Photography Competition," said the statement.

"We call upon the authorities to release Abul Kalam unconditionally and without further delay," the statement said.

The case in which he was accused was filed against 10 named and 30-40 unnamed Rohingya refugees.

The forwarding letter presented to the court shows Kalam is one of those unnamed accused.

Daily Star

The Kashmir Walla’s account was suspended without any possibility of appeal on 31 December following the retweeting of an article about the use of violence by Indian security forces against a religious procession in Kashmir – an article that the magazine published last August.

“The tweet attracted attention from Twitter users who we believe are part of right-wing social media cells and who may have reported the tweet en masse,” The Kashmir Walla editor Fahad Shah told RSF.

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has an “IT cell” (information technology cell) that is notorious for manipulating social media algorithms in order to get the accounts of critical journalists and media outlets suspended automatically. This troll army was one of the world’s 20 worst digital predators that RSF named in March 2020.

Shad added: “It is unfortunate that we – as an independent and credible news source from Kashmir – were not given a chance to respond before the restrictions were placed on our Twitter account. Moreover, Twitter hasn't responded to the appeal that we filed.”

Total opaqueness

“We call on Twitter India’s administrators to restore The Kashmir Walla’s account immediately,” said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk. “The total opaqueness surrounding the social media’s easily manipulable algorithms has been extremely prejudicial to press freedom in this case. As well as transparency, we ask Twitter to act responsibly by creating a channel through which this kind of sudden blocking can be challenged.”

In order to combat this kind of exploitation of social media algorithms by unreliable information providers, RSF has created the Journalism Trust Initiative, which is designed to give a competitive advantage to journalism that respects ethical standards – the kind of journalism to which The Kashmir Walla is committed.

India is ranked 142nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index.

RSF

A peasant activist was shot to death by still unidentified motorcycle-riding assailants in Antequera town, Bohol around 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

Lorenzo “Dodoy” Paña, 55, a resident of Barangay Bantolinao in Antequera town, was driving his motorcycle around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday when two men on board another motorcycle drove alongside him.

The backrider then pulled out a gun and shot Paña, who succumbed to gunshot wounds on his body.

Lt. Victor Tagsa Jr, acting chief of Antequera Municipal Police Station, said Paña was supposed to deliver lunch to his son who worked at a construction site in Barangay Dorol, Balilihan town when the incident happened.

Scene-of-the-Crime Operatives recovered two spent shells of an M16 rifle and four empty shells of a .45-caliber gun.

Investigators have yet to identify the suspects as well as the motive behind the killing.

The Hugpong sa Mag-uumang Bol-anon-Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Humabol-KMP) said in a statement that Paña was a former officer of Hugpong sa Mag-uuma Dapit sa Kasadpan (Humanda Ka), a district formation of Humabol chapters in the first district of Bohol.

Paña, along with his wife and children, voluntarily worked in the construction of a coconut processing plant managed by farmers’ organizations in Barangay Tinibgan in Maribojoc town, which now produces virgin coconut oil.

Paña and his family have been repeatedly red-tagged and harassed by the police and the military even if he was no longer a full-time organizer of Humanda Ka.

Inquirer.net

Members of progressive groups on Thursday condemned the Rizal Day killings of nine members of an indigenous community that is opposed to a dam project on Panay Island and demanded justice for the victims of what they called a “massacre.”

The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives said it would seek a congressional investigation of the predawn raids on Dec. 30 by police and soldiers that led to the deaths of several leaders and members of the Tumandok, the largest ethnic group in the hinterlands of Panay.

“The year-end spate of killings in Panay is a chilling conclusion of a year marred by bloody attacks on rights defenders and ordinary citizens amid the pandemic,” said Rep. Arlene Brosas of Gabriela Women party list.

“These butchers in uniform have long been terrorizing communities since time immemorial. Now, under a bloodthirsty Commander in Chief, they have ramped up their efforts to silence the growing number of Filipinos calling for justice and opposing development aggression,” Brosas said.

She said the Gabriela Women’s Party and her colleagues in the Makabayan bloc would file a resolution to investigate the police and military operation.

The nine people were killed in separate raids in seven hinterland villages in Tapaz town, Capiz province, on Wednesday. One of them was Roy Giganto, chair of Tumanduk nga Mangunguma nga Nagapangapin sang Duta kag Kabuhi (Tumanduk), a former village chief and an incumbent village councilor of Barangay Lahug.

Tumanduk is an alliance of 17 indigenous communities in Tapaz and Jamindan towns in Capiz and Calinog in Iloilo. It is a member of Sandugo, an alliance of indigenous peoples organizations under Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan).

NPA rebels?

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police said those killed were New People’s Army (NPA) rebels who fought back when the officers served search warrants and found firearms, ammunition and explosives in their houses.

Police said 16 other villagers in Tapaz and neighboring Calinog were arrested.

Lahug village chief Jobelyn Giganto, Roy’s sister-in-law and neighbor, said policemen barged into his house around 4 a.m. and “dragged his wife out [of the house] and shot him.”

“We are not armed and how can they say he fought back when all of us were asleep when they came,” Jobelyn told the Inquirer by phone on Thursday.

Another villager who was killed, Eliseo Gayas Jr. of Barangay Aglinab, was reportedly “tortured to the point of vomiting blood prior to his death,” according to Angelo Suarez, coconvener and spokesperson for Sama-samang Artista para sa Kilusang Agraryo.

Also killed in Lahug were Mario Aguirre and Reynaldo Katipunan. The other fatalities were Garson Catamin and Rolando Diaz of Nayawan village, Maurito Diaz of Tacayan, Artilito Katipunan of Acuña and Jomar Vidal of Daan-Sur. Fear on New Year’s Eve

Jobelyn said villagers were afraid to sleep in their own homes and planned to spend New Year’s Eve at the barangay day care center after most of their community and tribe leaders were killed.

“We fear that something will happen again while we are sleeping,” Jobelyn said.

“I have been telling the people here that despite what happened, we should continue to unite and face our situation together,” she said.

According to Danilo Ramos, chair of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, the Tumanduk leaders were fighting against the construction of the multibillion-peso Jalaur megadam in Calinog, Iloilo province, which would submerge their homes and farmlands in their ancestral land.

Some of them were also previously harassed and put under surveillance by the military, and most were accused of being rebels, Ramos said.

A month before the raids, the Tumanduk leaders were told by the military to sign up as NPA surrenderers, said Defend Negros spokesperson Ariel Casilao. When they refused, he said, they were warned that they could be charged under the new antiterrorism law. ‘Killed Negros-style’

“True enough, they were killed Negros-style,” he added, referring to the brutal massacre of farmers in Negros Oriental in 2018 and 2019.

ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro condemned the killing of indigenous peoples who were just protecting their ancestral lands “from destructive projects that do more harm than good for the Filipino people.”

“The Tumandok indigenous community has been vocal in resisting the construction of the Jalaur Mega Dam in Calinog, Iloilo. Because of their resistance and voices of dissent, they have been victims of Red-tagging and now EJKs (extrajudicial killings) and arrests on trumped-up charges,” Castro said.

“The Tumandok massacre proves further how Red-tagging kills and how the Duterte administration is determined to silence all voices of dissent,” she said.

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) said the Rizal Day killings showed that the Duterte administration “does not choose any time to sow terror” in rural communities.

“Innocent civilians and indigenous peoples continue to suffer due to the culture of impunity that remains even as the year is about to end,” the group said. Dam opponents

The activist science group Agham, which helped conduct an environmental investigation of the dam project, demanded justice for the Tumandok and the punishment of state forces for their “heinous crimes.”

The Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Phase II (JRMPP), locally called the Jalaur Dam, was designed to produce hydropower and supply water for irrigation in the province of Iloilo.

Agham said that in partnership with the Jalaur River for the People Movement, it found that the project proponent “failed to establish a detailed geological mapping and subsurface investigations that are crucial in determining the potential natural hazards that will affect the dam, particularly with regards to the stability of the structure and its foundation.”

It said that geologic hazards, such as earthquakes posed dangers to the dam, which may lead to massive flooding.

Agham said there also was no “free and prior informed consent” from the tribe, which is required by law for such projects in ancestral lands.

“Also, risks and possible negative impacts were still not addressed and were not communicated to the stakeholders. These key findings have validated the fears and concerns of the Tumandok people who are valiantly fighting for the protection of the people and the environment,” Agham said.

Inquirer.net

A court in Shanghai, China on Monday sentenced former lawyer and citizen journalist Zhang Zhan to four years in prison for her reporting on the coronavirus outbreak, a harsh sentence that legal scholars say is aimed at having a chilling effect on Chinese rights activists.

Zhang, 37, was one of several citizen journalists who covered the initial outbreak in China’s central city of Wuhan. Their coverage painted a far more serious picture of conditions than the government’s official narrative of the spreading infection. Her reports included examples of the harassment of families of victims who were seeking accountability, according to human rights advocates.

Zhang was detained by authorities in May and accused of spreading false information, giving interviews to foreign media, disrupting public order and "maliciously manipulating" the outbreak. She went missing in Wuhan on May 14, according to media reports, and a day later turned up under arrest in Shanghai, more than 640 kilometers away. In court, she was formally charged with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” an accusation frequently used against Chinese activists.

Zhang’s lawyer, Zhang Keke, told VOA that Zhang Zhan has been on a hunger strike for nearly five months. She appeared in court in a wheelchair, all but refusing to speak — apparently using silence as a form of protest.

“The only thing she said is that citizens have the right to freedom of speech, and they have no right to question her,” Zhang Keke said.

According to the defense lawyer, the prosecutor during the trial accused Zhang of publishing so-called "problematic remarks" on China’s social media platforms including Weibo and WeChat. Yet the prosecution failed to provide any posts or videos as evidence.

“She didn’t fabricate any reports, nor has she created any harm to the society,” Zhang Keke said, adding that Zhang will likely appeal the verdict.

A Chinese human rights lawyer who asked to remain anonymous told VOA that the four-year sentence is extremely harsh. “Picking quarrels and provoking trouble usually leads to a fixed-term imprisonment of no more than five years. For first time offense, the sentence is usually one year,” he said, adding that Zhang’s harsh sentence was aimed at instilling fear among citizen journalists and civil rights lawyers.

Rights groups also condemned the ruling. Cédric Alviani, East Asia bureau head of the Paris-based media freedom group Reporters Without Borders, (RSF), called on the international community to increase pressure on the Chinese government until Beijing releases Zhang and other detained press freedom activists in China. “Zhang Zhan was only serving the public interest by reporting on the COVID-19 outbreak, so, she should never have been detained, not to mention, received a four-year prison sentence. This trial is actually a parody of justice,” Alviani told VOA.

The United Nations’ human rights office said in a tweet on Monday that it was troubled by the four-year sentence. “We raised her case with the authorities throughout 2020 as an example of the excessive clampdown on freedom of expression linked to #COVID19 & continue to call for her release,” the office said.

China has been accused of covering up the initial outbreak of the coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease and silencing whistleblowers, including the late Dr. Li Wenliang, and citizen journalists Fang Bing, Chen Qiushi, Li Zehua and Zhang Zhan, for exposing information that authorities did not approve for release. Dr. Li died of COVID-19 after Beijing silenced his attempts to warn the world about the coronavirus.

China has fiercely denied these accusations and said the country has been highly successful in containing the virus, compared to Western countries including the United States.

According to a survey by the Committee to Protect Journalists, China was the world’s leading jailer of journalists in 2020, with at least 47 people behind bars.

VoA News

Arjun Giri, editor at https://www.tandavnews.com/ (an online news portal) was issued threat of physical assault. He got such threat by a phone in Pokhara on December 23. Pokhara lies in Gandaki Province of Nepal.

Talking to Freedom Forum, Giri shared that a senior reporter with the online, Madhav Bhusal, had reported news entitled- 'sexual assault on women: a blot on the image of a religious guru Prakash' on December 20. An unknown person called on Bhusal's mobile and asked for the proof of the content in the news.

Bhusal then forwarded the call to Giri. The caller, who introduced himself as an officer from Central Bureau of Investigation also threatened Giri saying he would send his goons to the office for publishing the baseless news.

Giri, however, claimed that he had every proof for the news and was not scared of any threats.

"But, because the person says himself a police I have reported to District Police Office and CIB Police Headquarters about the incident," Giri shared.

Freedom Forum is concerned over the threat issued to journalist for reporting news. It is a gross violation of press freedom. One can seek the Nepal Press Council's help to show concern with news contents and follow legitimate ways.

Hence, FF strongly urges the concerned authority to investigate the case fairly and ensure security to the journalists.

Nepal Press Freedom

A Kampong Chhnang radio station owner was convicted for incitement on Tuesday and sentenced to 20 months in prison for reporting on an ongoing land dispute between villagers and the military in the province.

Kampong Chhnang Provincial Court presiding judge Y Thavrak found Sok Oudom, owner of Rithysen radio station, guilty of “incitement to commit a felony” and sentenced him to 20 months in prison and 20 million riels, around $5,000, in punitive damages, according to Un Chanthol, a lawyer for the journalist.

The complaint was filed by Nou Samrith, deputy commander of Kampong Chhnang military operation area, for allegedly inciting villagers against the military. The journalist had broadcast a Facebook Live report on a contentious land dispute in Kampong Chhnang province’s Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary, according to Sok Oudom’s wife, Nuth Sovanthou.

Un Chanthol, his lawyer, said the court should not have used the Criminal Code to jail his client, provisions in the Law on the Press could have been used to issue a correction if there was an error in the reportage.

“I think he is a journalist and his profession allows him to speak. But the court judged the opposite,” he said.

Long Sitha, Kampong Chhang court’s spokesperson, and Nou Samrith, the plaintiff, could not be reached for comment.

Oudom often posted stories on the Rithysen Radio News Station Facebook page about land disputes, clashes between people and police, and provincial court cases.

Nuth Sovanthou, 36, said her husband was among a group of journalists who were covering the land issues, but that Sok Oudom was the only one to face legal repercussions.

“It is very unfair and I don’t have any belief in the Cambodian court system,” said Nou Sovanthou, who is a mother of three.

She too questioned why the court did not use the Press Law to decide if her husband had committed a journalistic error.

“Why should we have the Law on the Press if we don’t use it to protect journalists?” she said. “He didn’t hide or incite anything.”

Article 10 of Press Law states that following a civil complaint if a court finds that the publication was false the court may order the press entity to publish a retraction, pay compensation, or publish a retraction.

Chab Sokhun, a villager from Kampong Chhnang’s Teuk Phos district, said Sok Oudom should not be accused or arrested because of his reporting since he didn’t incite people. He speculated that a mention of the provincial governor in the news report could have caused this entire episode.

“He said something affecting the provincial governor. That is why he was arrested,” said Chab Sokhun, who is involved in the land dispute.

Oudom is the third journalist in recent months to be convicted of incitement. The vaguely defined charge is often used to target detractors and critics of Hun Sen and the Cambodian government, rights groups say.

Last month, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced a Cambodian newspaper publisher who made critical comments about Prime Minister Hun Sen on Facebook to 18 months in prison. In October, Sovann Rithy, who founded social media news outlet TVFB, was convicted of incitement and given a suspended sentence.

Ith Sothoeuth, media director at the Cambodian Center for Independent Media, said the authorities should not jump to file criminal charges and instead should try to use other ways to get corrective measures.

“The [authorities] should understand the role of journalists in doing their work rather than suing them in court,” she said. “It is another threat to journalists.”

Vann Vichar, 35, a freelance journalist, said the excessive use of incitement charges was a concern, because he was never sure which story would be considered incendiary, pointing out there was little chance of getting a fair verdict in these cases.

“[Incitement charges] are a concern for me because as a journalist I do not know which article can be assessed to be incitement,” said Vann Vichar, who has worked as a journalist for some 10 years.

VoA Cambodia

An activist in Kazakhstan's southern region of Turkistan has been handed a parole-like sentence for his links with a banned political movement.

The Keles district court on December 22 sentenced Marat Duisembiev to 3 1/2 years of "freedom limitation" after finding him guilty of involvement in the activities of the banned opposition Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK).

The trial was held online due to coronavirus restrictions. Duisembiev participated in the process via a video link from a detention center in the regional capital, Shymkent.

The 44-year-old activist was arrested and charged in August after he openly called for people to take part in an unsanctioned rally organized by the DVK.

Human rights organizations in Kazakhstan recognized him as a political prisoner last month.

Duisenbiev's sentence was handed down two days after another activist, Alibek Moldin, was sentenced to one year of "freedom limitation" for being associated with the DVK-linked unregistered Koshe (Street) Party, also banned in Kazakhstan as an extremist organization.

DVK is led by Mukhtar Ablyazov, the fugitive former head of Kazakhstan’s BTA Bank and outspoken critic of the Kazakh government. Kazakh authorities labeled DVK extremist and banned the group in March 2018.

Several activists have been sentenced to various prison terms and limitations in Kazakhstan in recent months for involvement in the DVK's activities, including taking part in the DVK-organized unsanctioned rallies.

Opponents of the Kazakh government have said that the crackdown on the DVK's supporters has intensified ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for January 10.

Human rights groups have said Kazakhstan’s law on public gatherings contradicts international standards as it requires preliminary permission from authorities to hold rallies and envisions prosecution for organizing and participating in unsanctioned rallies even though the nation’s constitution guarantees its citizens the right of free assembly.

RFERL

On December 22, authorities in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho arrested female activist Le Thi Binh and charged her with “abusing democratic freedom” under Article 331 of the Criminal Code. They accuse her of posting anti-state statuses on her Facebook page.

According to her family, police and plainclothes agents kidnapped her when she went out. They took her back to her private residence where they conducted a house search without presence of her family.

The state-controlled media reported that the local police confiscated a large amount of evidence with the anti-state content without unvealing the details of what they robbed. Her family told Defend the Defenders that it received no documentation from the local authorities about her arrest, including the arrest order approved by the local Procuracy.

Ms. Binh, born in 1976, is a younger sister of former prisoner of conscience Le Minh The, who was arrested in October 2018 on the same allegation. Both are members of the unregistered group Hiến Pháp (Constitution) which aims to raise citizens’ rights by disseminating the country’s Constitution 2013. He was later sentenced to two years in prison, and completed his imprisonment in July this year.

Like her older brother and other members of Hiến Pháp group, Binh actively participated in the mass demonstration of tens of thousands of Vietnamese in Ho Chi Minh City and other locality on June 10, 2018 to protest the two bills on Special Economic Zones and Cyber Security.

After that, she has been under close surveillance of the Can Tho’s security forces, especially after the arrests of her brother and other members of Hiến Pháp in September-October, 2018. One of eight detained members of the group has warned about her arrest as police interrogators often asked them about Ms. Binh during their questioning.

However, Binh continues to post and share numerous articles about the country’s issues such as systemic corruption, widespread human rights abuse, and China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea (South China Sea).

She is likely to be held incommunicado during the pre-trial detention, the common practice applied by the communist regime in political cases. She faces imprisonment up to seven years in prison if she is convicted.

With Binh’s detention, the number of prisoners of conscience rose to 253, according to Defend the Defenders’ latest statistics.

Defend the Defenders

A Cambodian court convicted two rappers and sentenced them to up to a year and a half in prison on Tuesday on charges of incitement over their rhymes about social injustice and loss of sovereign territory.

Yin Srang, a spokesman for the Siem Reap provincial court, told Reuters that rapper Kea Sokun, 23, was found guilty of incitement to commit a felony and sentenced to a year and a half in prison, of which six months were suspended.

Another rapper, Long Putheara, who was 17 when arrested last year, received five months in jail, about six weeks of which was suspended, Yin Srang said.

Their convictions come during a wave of arrests of activists and opponents of the government, which started in July with the detention of a unionist who accused it of ceding land to neighboring Vietnam.

Others held include members of environmental groups, a politician and a Buddhist monk, according to human rights group Licadho, which tracks arrests of dissidents and activists.

Several Western nations have condemned that crackdown as well as treason charges against scores of opposition party supporters, warning that Cambodia's democracy is under threat.

Kea Sokun's father Kea Phal said the conviction of his son was an injustice and the two rap songs - "Khmer Land" and "Sad Race" - had positive meaning.

"The songs were educational and just remind youths to be loving of own nation," Kea Phal told Reuters.

Kea Phal said his son had made no apology during court proceedings because he did nothing wrong.

Lyrics in Khmer Land and Sad Race - which have over 2 million and 700,000 views respectively - say Cambodians are starving and the country is losing territory to its neighbors.

They urge people to stand up against oppression and unite to bring the country greatness.

Cambodia's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the convictions.

VoA Cambodia

A Kazakh activist has been handed a parole-like sentence for his links to a banned political movement.

A court in the northwestern city of Aqtobe on December 21 sentenced Alibek Moldin to one year of "freedom limitation" after finding him guilty of being a leader of the banned Koshe (Street) party associated with the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) movement.

Moldin was detained and placed under house arrest on November 10. His sentence means that he has to report to police on a regular basis, cannot leave Aqtobe, or change his address without police permission until December 21, 2021.

The 37-year-old activist has maintained his innocence and said at the trial that the case against him is politically motivated.

"I am being persecuted by the dictatorial regime.... I have been a political activist since 2016 and since that time I, my parents, and my brothers have been under pressure. There were numerous attempts by the local authorities to force me to change my political views. Several administrative and criminal cases have been launched against me. I was ordered to pay fines and forced out of my job. There are at least 150 activists in Kazakhstan who, like me, have been under pressure because of their political views," Moldin said.

Moldin's lawyer, Adil Tulkibaev, told RFE/RL that the court decision will be appealed.

DVK is led by Mukhtar Ablyazov, the fugitive former head of Kazakhstan’s BTA Bank and an outspoken critic of the Kazakh government. Kazakh authorities labeled the DVK extremist and banned the group in March 2018.

Several activists have been sentenced to various prison terms and limitations in Kazakhstan in recent months for involvement in the DVK's activities, including taking part in DVK-organized unsanctioned rallies.

Human rights groups have said Kazakhstan’s law on public gatherings contradicts international standards as it requires preliminary permission from authorities to hold rallies and envisions prosecution for organizing and participating in unsanctioned rallies, even though the nation’s constitution guarantees its citizens the right of free assembly.

RFERL

Authorities in the northwestern Kazakh city of Aqtobe have forcibly placed a wheelchair-bound activist in a psychiatric clinic after he allegedly tore down a poster of the ruling Nur Otan party.

Dana Zhanai, the chairwoman of the Qaharman human rights center, said on December 22 that activist Asanali Suyubaev had been taken to a psychiatric clinic a day earlier, a move she says is likely part of a campaign by the ruling party to sideline activists ahead of January 10 parliamentary elections.

The clinic's deputy chief physician, Esenaman Nysanov, confirmed to RFE/RL that Suyubaev had been brought to the facility by medical personnel and police.

"The patient has mental changes. But he does not accept it. He behaved in a strange way, namely, while outside, he was tearing election posters, which can be defined in a medical term as addictive behavior," Nysanov said, adding that Suyubaev had been under "psychiatric control" since 2012.

Aqtobe police refused to comment on Suyubaev’s situation.

Zhanai told RFE/RL that Suyubaev was forcibly placed in a psychiatric clinic for 20 days in April after he distributed leaflets for the unregistered and banned Koshe (Street) party.

"The authorities isolated him intentionally right before the [January 10] parliamentary elections. Activists have started a campaign to prove that the ruling Nur Otan party's ratings are fictitious and that votes will be stolen during the poll. Because of that, many activists across Kazakhstan are being persecuted now. Many are under house arrest, in detention centers, and in this case, they put Suyubaev in a psychiatric clinic," Zhanai said.

Rights activists in Kazakhstan have criticized authorities for using a Soviet-era method of stifling dissent by placing opponents in psychiatric clinics..

Earlier in November, another government critic, journalist Aigul Otepova, was placed in a psychiatric clinic for 18 days. She was released on December 11 and remains under house arrest over posting an article on Facebook criticizing official efforts to curb the coronavirus outbreak.

Investigators have charged her with having links with banned opposition movement Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan, which Otepova denies.

RFERL

Three youths charged under Section 19(a) of the Peaceful Assembly Law over a human rights demonstration in the Arakan State capital earlier this month appeared before the Sittwe Township Court on December 30.

Ko Min Bar Chay aka Ko Than Hla, one of the accused, said a meeting to develop a case management plan was held at the court on Wednesday.

“The judge asked both sides if we wanted to settle the case. Both sides said to go to trial,” he said.

More than 30 young people joined a demonstration in Sittwe to mark Human Rights Day, celebrated globally on December 10, during which participants denounced ongoing human rights violations in Arakan State. Their march began at Sittwe’s BXT port and proceeded along Shukhintha Street, with demonstrators holding placards protesting rights abuses. The three defendants were arrested by police near Sittwe Hotel, and were released on bail later that evening.

Ko Min Bar Chay, Ko Naing Naing Tun and Ma Khine Myat Thu from the Rakhine Youth New Generation Network were charged on December 21 by the head of the Sittwe Township police.

“I do not understand why [the judiciary] accepted the charge. We did not stage a protest. We did not criticise someone. But the legal [authorities] accepted the charge of the police against us,” Ko Min Bar Chay said. “It proves how Myanmar’s rule of law, justice and judiciary sector is deteriorating.”

Under Section 19 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law, anyone who is convicted of assembling or demonstrating without applying for a permit in advance faces up to three months in prison, a fine not to exceed K30,000 ($22.50), or both.

Their next court hearing is scheduled for on January 14.

DMG

On December 21, the People’s Court of District 8 in Ho Chi Minh City found three local Facebookers named Nguyen Dang Thuong, Huynh Anh Khoa, and Tran Trong Khai guilty of “abusing democratic freedom” under Article 331 of the Criminal Code for administrating an open Facebook group discussing Vietnam’s socio-economic issues.

The jugde concluded that the trio have posted a number of statuses in the group with the content distorting the communist regime and defaming late President Ho Chi Minh and incumbent leaders General Secretary cum State President Nguyen Phu Trong and Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan of the country’s highest legislative body National Assembly. The court decided to sentence Mr. Thuong to 18 months in prison, Mr. Khoa- 15 months and Mr. Khai- one year.

The three Facebookers were without legal assistance during their pre-trial detention and the hearing. It is likely that they were forced by the police to give up legal consultation provided by the lawyers who were hired by their families, said Mrs. Pham Bao Ngoc, the wife of Mr. Khoa.

Mrs. Ngoc also told Defend the Defenders that she and other relatives of the three Facebookers were not permitted to enter the court areas. After fierce argument, police allowed them to enter but stay in the corridor of the courtroom which was filled with policemen and local officials. During the break and after the end of the trial, police prevented the relatives from having physical contacts with the trio, using Covid-19 as an excuse, Ngoc complained.

Along with imprisoning the trio, the judge also decided to confiscate their three computers and two cell phones with which they used to post “anti-state” articles.

Mr. Khoa and Mr. Thuong were arrested by security forces in HCM City on June 13 this year in relation to a group on Facebook in which its members held discussions about Vietnam’s socio-economic issues. It was unclear about the detention of Mr. Khai.

Khoa and Thuong are said to be admins of a Facebook group named Bàn luận Kinh tế-Chính trị (Economic-Political Discussion) with 46,000 followers. However, the group was closed immediately after the arrests of its two admins.

As the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam prepares its 13th National Congress scheduled for January 2021, the regime continues its crackdown on local dissent and tightens control on social media, especially Facebook, the largest social network in Vietnam with around 60 million accounts.

In 2020, Vietnam arrested 27 independent journalists and Facebookers for their online activities and charged them with “abusing democratic freedom,” “conducting anti-state propaganda” and subversion. The communist regime has sentenced ten activists to between nine months and 12 years in prison. In addition, the regime has imposed administrative fines up to VND15 million ($680) on hundreds of Facebookers nationwide for their online posts unfavorable for the regime after requesting them to delete their posts.

In Vietnam, the ruling communist party strictly controls the official media and social networks including Facebook become the main platform for local residents to express their opinions. However, the online crackdown has become more and more fierce.

On December 14, the Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued a report saying Vietnam is among the first countries in the world holding the largest number of journalists and Facebooker, together with China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Particularly, Vietnam holds seven journalists and 21 Facebookers behind the bar, and is listed at the 175th place among 180 countries in the RSF’s 2020 World Press Freedom Index.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has also listed Vietnam among the global biggest prisons for journalists with 15 journalists being imprisoned.

Vietnam is also the biggest jail for prisoners of conscience in Southeast Asia. According to Defend the Defenders’ latest statistics, Vietnam is holding 252 prisoners of conscience as of December 21, 2020.

Defend the Defenders

A well-known actress who is one of the most high-profile supporters of Thailand’s pro-democracy protest movement answered a police summons Monday charging her with violating the country’s harsh law against defaming the monarchy, even though she is not known to have spoken publicly about the royal institution.

Inthira “Sai” Charoenpura, who is also a singer, has drawn both praise and criticism for giving material support and raising funds for the student-led movement. Along with seven protest leaders, she presented herself at a police station in Bangkok to hear charges that they had violated the country’s lese majeste law, which calls for a prison term of three to 15 years for defaming the king or members of his immediate family.

The law, known as Article 112, has long drawn criticism for its harshness and terms that let anyone file a complaint, allowing its use for partisan political purposes. Its use against Inthira appeared to be unprecedented since she was not directly tied to any comments about the monarchy. She has helped provide food, protective gear and other equipment for the protest rallies over several months that have attracted thousands of people.

Charging Inthira “sets a very disturbing precedent,” said Sunai Phasuk, a researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch, adding that it now seems that being an accessory to any actions that Thai authorities consider to be offensive to the monarchy are punishable. “So now the net is being cast very wide, much wider than ever before,” he said.

Inthira refused to sign a legal document acknowledging she has been charged.

“It is ridiculous that I supplied food and got this charge. Does it mean anybody can face the same situation if they are not on the government’s side?” Inthira said. “I am not worried. I will continue supporting the rallies no matter what.”

She said that as a consequence of supporting the rallies, about 70% of her work had been canceled.

Article 112 has not been invoked for almost three years, after King Maha Vajiralongkorn informed the government that he did not wish to see it used. But it was revived last month after Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced that all laws would be employed to prosecute protesters who failed to respect other people’s rights and liberties.

The legal aid group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights has tallied at least 35 individuals who have been charged under the lese majeste law since Nov. 24.

Although Inthira is not cited for any remarks about the monarchy, other protest leaders have been outspoken in their criticism of the institution, which they are demanding be reformed to make it accountable. They consider it a feudal institution unsuitable for a democratic state and accuse it of wielding too much power.

The protest movement has had three core demands: that Prayuth step down because they believe he was elected unfairly; that the constitution be amended to make it more democratic; and that the monarchy be reformed.

In recent weeks, protest leaders have put the focus on the monarchy, which is the most sensitive issue. Many Thais treat the monarchy with reverence, considering it an untouchable institution that is the heart and soul of the nation.

Until the middle of this year, when the protesters raised the issue, public criticism of it was unprecedented, There has been a sharp reaction from royalists, including the military, a dominant force in Thai politics, which considers defense of the monarchy to be one of its main missions.

Khaosod

Afghan authorities must thoroughly investigate the killing of journalist Rahmatullah Nikzad and do everything in their power to ensure that members of the press can work safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

This evening, in the central Afghan city of Ghazni, unidentified gunmen shot Nikzad, a freelance photojournalist who contributed to The Associated Press and Al-Jazeera, three times in the chest while he was leaving his home to go to a local mosque, according to the AP, Al-Jazeera, and other news reports. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to those reports.

Nikzad was also the head of the Ghazni Journalists’ Union, which represented press workers in Ghazni province, those reports said.

“Rahmatullah Nikzad’s crucial work documenting the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan has been brought to a tragic end by this brutal killing,” said Aliya Iftikhar, CPJ’s senior Asia researcher. “The recent spate of killings of journalists in Afghanistan is unacceptable and the Afghan government must redouble efforts to ensure justice and safety for members of the media.”

Nikzad had received threats from different sources over the years, and had notified local and national officials about them, Abdul Mujeeb Khalvatgar, director of the Afghan press freedom organization NAI, told CPJ in a phone interview.

Khalvatgar said that many of the threats came from local Taliban members upset with Nikzad’s work for international outlets, as well as his work with the journalist union.

Khalvatgar and Najib Sharifi, director of the Afghan Journalist Safety Committee, another local press freedom organization, who also spoke to CPJ via phone, both said they believed Nikzad was killed because of his work.

The Taliban, which controls large parts of Ghazni province, denied responsibility for the attack, according to those news reports.

Ghazni Police Chief Khalid Wardak and a spokesperson for the president’s office did not immediately respond to CPJ’s requests for comment sent via messaging app.

In November, reporter Elyas Dayee was killed in a bomb attack in Helmand province, and on December 10, journalist Malalai Maiwand was shot and killed in Nangarhar province, as CPJ documented at the time.

CPJ

Pakistani police have arrested another member of a civil rights movement campaigning for the country's ethnic Pashtun minority amid an apparent crackdown on the group.

A member of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) told RFE/RL that Muhammad Sher Mehsud was taken away late on December 20 when officers raided his house in the port city of Karachi.

A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the arrest but could not provide details about the charges against Mehsud, who was one of the organizers of an unsanctioned rally in Karachi on December 6.

The day after the gathering, police filed a case against as many as 19 PTM members, including a lawmaker and leader of the movement, Ali Wazir, who faces sedition charges over accusations he made anti-state comments during the Karachi rally.

Wazir is to remain in police custody until December 30 when he will be presented before an anti-terrorism court.

His family have said his life is in danger in custody, a claim that the police officials reject.

Police on December 18 arrested another PTM leader, Noorullah Tareen, hours after thousands of supporters of the rights’ group protested in a dozen cities and towns of Pakistan against Wazir’s arrest.

The PTM, which has campaigned since 2018 for the civil rights of Pakistan’s estimated 35 million ethnic Pashtuns, has attracted tens of thousands of people to public rallies in recent years to denounce the powerful Pakistani Army's heavy-handed tactics in its fight against the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups in the country's northwest.

International rights groups say Pakistani authorities have banned peaceful rallies organized by the PTM and some of its leading members have been arbitrarily detained and prevented from traveling within the country. Some members have also faced charges of sedition and cybercrimes.

The Supreme Court on Friday initiated contempt proceedings against stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and cartoonist Rachita Taneja for scandalising the court and the highest judiciary with their tweets.

A three-judge Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R. Subhash Reddy and M.R. Shah issued notice asking Mr. Kamra and Ms. Taneja to show cause why they should not be punished for contempt of court.

Both Ms. Taneja and Mr. Kamra have been exempted from personal appearance in court. Usually, persons facing contempt action have to be present during the hearing.

The notice to them is returnable in six weeks.

On Thursday, the Bench had heard petitioners seeking contempt action against the duo and decided to pass its orders after a day.

The petitioners, mostly law students and lawyers, had moved the Supreme Court after getting the statutory consent for contempt action from Attorney General K.K. Venugopal.

In the case against Mr. Kamra, law student Shrirang Katneshwarkar’s counsel Nishant Katneshwarkar had submitted that the tweets by the comic were scandalous.

Mr. Katneshwarkar had given a date-wise chronology of the various tweets of the comedian.

Mr. Venugopal had consented to contempt action against Mr. Kamra, saying the tweets were grossly vulgar and obnoxious.

Mr. Kamra had refused to apologise or retract the tweets. Instead, he had tweeted that he wished to “volunteer” the time that may be allotted for hearing his contempt case to others “who have not been as lucky and privileged as I am to jump the queue”.

The AG had also found Ms. Taneja’s cartoons, which she had tweeted, scandalous with an intent to undermine the judiciary. The cartoons concern the top court’s grant of bail to Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami.

Mr. Venugopal had, in his consent letter, said the tweets carried the “gross insinuation” that the court had “ceased to be an impartial organ of the State”.

Hindu

Two students facing charges under the lèse majesté law for participating in a “fashion show” during a pro-democracy protest on Silom Road went to hear the charges yesterday (17 December), while members of the We Volunteer protest guard group and other protesters gathered outside the police station in Thai traditional dress to show support.

Jatuporn Sae-Ung, 23, and Noppasin (last name withheld), 16, went to Yannawa Police Station to hear the charges after they were accused of insulting the Queen by wearing Thai traditional dress, a gesture seen as mockery of the royal family, at a “fashion show” during the protest on Silom Road on 29 October 2020.

Jatuporn was immediately released after she was informed of the charges without needing to post bail. She said after her release that, during the protest, she only wore Thai traditional dress and did not give any speeches, but she was accused of imitating the Queen. She said she would like Section 112 to be repealed, but commented that it might be difficult and that the law seems to be used as a form of harassment.

Noppasin, on the other hand, was taken to the Juvenile and Family Court, so that the court could examine whether the case was handled properly according to the protocol for pressing charges against a minor. The inquiry officer also submitted a detention request, which the Court approved as the charge carries high penalty, despite Noppasin’s lawyer objecting to the request on the ground that he would not flee and will report to the aithorities as summoned. He was eventually released on bail.

Khumklao Songsomboon from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that, according to the inquiry officer, Noppasin is charged because he wore a tank top, which was interpreted as mockery. Noppasin has denied all charges.

Khumklao also said that, even though Noppasin was granted bail, he still has to report to the Juvenile Detention Centre on Monday. He also has to report to the inquiry officer along with Jatuporn on 11 January 2021, when the inquiry officer is scheduled to submit the case to the public prosecutor.

As Jatuporn and Noppasin were hearing their charges, the We Volunteer (WeVo) protest guard group organized a rally in front of Yannawa Police Station, even though the police stated that they had not notified the police of a public assembly and must disperse by 11.30 a.m. Many people who joined the rally wore Thai traditional attire to show their support.

Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak wore a red Thai costume with blue diamond accessories. He made a speech criticizing the illogical use of lèse majesté law including this case and another involving a pro-democracy actress who supported the protests with food.

He also urged the authorities to accept the demand of the people and abolish the lèse majesté law, otherwise, the law will no longer be justified and the people will abolish it no matter what the royal institution thinks.

Parit said that lèse majesté charges had been filed not in the cause of justice but as a punishment on behalf of the King. And if the authorities continued to obstruct democratization by the lèse majesté law, this meant that they were trying to make the royal institution an enemy of the people.

As of 17 December, a total of 34 people are now facing charges under Section 112 in connection with the recent protests.

Actor Inthira Charoenpura and volunteer medic Natthathida Meewangpla received summonses on Wednesday (16 December 2020). Inthira has been supporting the pro-democracy protests by donating food and equipment and supporting other activists’ fundraising efforts, but has never given speeches. Natthathida, who was previously been charged with royal defamation in 2015, received a summons from Bangkhen Police Station, most likely for the protest in front of the 11th Infantry Regiment headquarters on 29 November.

Student activist Phongsatorn Tancharoen, a member of the student activist group Mahasarakham University Democracy Front, received a summons from Paholyothin Police Station, most likely in relation to the protest in front of the SCB headquarters on 25 November.

Narin (last name withheld) is also facing charges under Section 112, most likely for putting a sticker on a display in honour of the King. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) also reported that, following the 19 – 20 September protest, Narin was arrested by plainclothes officers for charges under the Computer Crimes Act, and accused of running the satirical Facebook page “กูkult.”

Others who have already been summoned have received summonses for additional charges, including human rights lawyer and protest leader Anon Nampa, who is now facing 7 counts of royal defamation.

Prachatai

Authorities in Vietnam arrested a journalist Thursday for social media posts criticizing tollbooths set up under a controversial infrastructure funding program, local media reported.

Truong Chau Huu Danh, a contributor to a popular Facebook page Bao Sach (Clean Newspaper), that discusses Vietnamese social issues, had posted criticism of build-operate-transfer (BOT) highways that Vietnam had adopted in recent years, sparking rare motorist protests over toll collection.

Truong has been active as a journalist for several Vietnamese newspapers, reporting on protests against what activists say is “illegal toll collection” and the “illogical construction of tollbooths” across the country.

He was detained by police in Can Tho, a province-level city in the country’s deep south, on charges of “abusing democratic rights to infringe upon the benefits of other individuals and/or organizations,” under Article 331, the Vietnam 2015 Penal Code.

They transferred Truong to authorities in his hometown in nearby Long An province. If convicted, he could serve up to three years in prison.

The procuracy in Can Tho approved detention of up to three months for investigation.

In his last status update on his Facebook fan page, Truong posted photos of Ho Chi Minh City’s deputy party chief Tat Thanh Cang and former transport minister Dinh La Thang, who were both recently arrested and prosecuted.

The photos had been altered to show them in prison uniforms, and Truong had titled the post “reunion.”

Truong is one of the founders of the Bao Sach Facebook page, which currently has more than 100,000 likes. The page has gained notoriety for raising concerns over a death sentence handed to Ho Duy Hai, who was arrested in March 2008 and convicted nine months later of plundering property and murdering two female postal employees in Long An Province.

Ho’s case has been marred by accusations of procedural errors, including Ho’s contention that he was made to confess while in pretrial detention.

CPJ denial

Also on Thursday, Vietnam rejected a report by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) about detained journalists worldwide.

The report, released Tuesday, said that Hanoi has arrested at least 15 journalists in 2020, not including Truong.

At a press briefing, Le Thi Thu Hang, spokeswoman for Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the report was full of stereotypes about the Vietnamese situation.

“In Viet Nam, just like in other rules-based government across the world, every citizen is equal in front of the law and anyone who commits legal violations will have to be handled in accordance with judiciary procedures as codified in the existing laws,” she said.

Vietnam, with a population of 92 million people, has been consistently rated “not free” in the areas of internet and press freedom by Freedom House, a U.S.-based watchdog group.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Vietnam 175 out of 180 in its 2020 World Press Freedom Index. About 25 journalists and bloggers are being held in Vietnam’s jails, “where mistreatment is common,” the Paris-based watchdog group said.

Vietnam’s already low tolerance of dissent deteriorated sharply this year with a spate of arrests of independent journalists, publishers, and Facebook personalities as authorities continued to stifle critics in the run-up to the ruling Communist Party congress in January.

RFA

Chief Editor at https://www.kathmandukhabar.com/ Keshav Raj Pathak was issued death threat for reporting news in Kathmandu on December 16. Kathmandu is the federal capital of Nepal.

During conversation with Freedom Forum's media monitoring desk, editor Pathak shared that he has been reporting on various issues of illegal excavation and plotting of land in Budhanilkantha municipality. Recently the municipality and district forest authority had restricted ongoing plotting of land in the municipality following a complaint filed by Pathak.

"On the day of incident, two masked men approached me while walking along the plotting area and threatened saying- this is our plot; you have risked your life doing this so now bear consequences", said Pathak.

He further said that he has also informed local authority including Metropolitan Police Range about the incident requesting his safety.

Freedom Forum is concerned over the incident as it is sheer violation of press freedom. Despite availability of the legitimate ways to show dissatisfaction over news published, hostile behavior meted out against journalists time and again is worrying. Hence, FF strongly urges the concerned authority to ensure safety of the journalists and avoid any mishaps in future

Nepal Press Freedom

Protest leader Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak reported to Samranrat police on Wednesday to acknowledge a police charge of causing damage to public property during a rally at the Democracy Monument on Oct 14.

He was accompanied by Noraseth Nanongtoom of the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights Centre.

Mr Parit said he reported in response to a police summons and was charged with causing damage to public property during the Oct 14 rally.

On that day he and other demonstrators had only moved potted trees from the base of the monument to a space nearby, he said. He had not seen any damage to the plants or pots.

Mr Parit thought the charge was intended to keep him busy with legal cases.

Anti-government movement leaders, including Mr Parit, have been summonsed to hear multiple charges, one after another, in connection with past demonstrations demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the rewriting of the constitution and reform of the monarchy.

The most serious of these are charges of lese majeste under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, which carry hefty prison terms on conviction.