Uwazi

Former MNA and Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement leader Ali Wazir was arrested in Dera Ismail Khan, sources said here on Tuesday.

He was picked when he was coming to Dera from Quetta in a private car.

According to the sources, PTM leader Ali Wazir was arrested near the Darazinda tribal subdivision. He was arrested by the Daraban police.

When contacted, Daraban SHO denied having arrested Mr Wazir.

However, the sources said the former MNA was currently in the custody of Daraban police.

It should be noted that several cases have been registered against Mr Wazir in different police stations, pertaining to making speeches against state institutions and incendiary statements.

Meanwhile, responding to the arrest, PTM chairman Maznoor Ahmad Pashteen said Mr Wazir was in the custody by DI Khan police, but they were denying his arrest.

“There is no FIR registered against Ali Wazir in Dera, and he has also obtained protective bail from the Peshawar High Court in rest of the FIRs registered against him,” he added.

The Almaty City Court on November 10 rejected the appeals of five activists against prison terms they were handed in July after a lower court found them guilty of "organizing mass unrest at Almaty airport" during unprecedented anti-government protests in January 2022 that turned deadly. Noted civil rights activist Aigerim Tileuzhanova was sentenced to four years in prison, while the other activists, all men, received eight years in prison each. Some were also charged with storming a building, vehicle hijacking, and robbery. All have denied wrongdoing, saying they did not commit any crimes while taking part in the demonstration.

The independent Kloop website's Kyrgyz-language pages (ky.kloop.asia) have been blocked in Kyrgyzstan after its Russian site was blocked in September amid ongoing pressure on the owner, the Kloop Media Public Foundation.

The Central Asian nation's Culture Ministry blocked Kloop's Kyrgyz site after the State Committee of National Security (UKMK) again claimed the media outlet distributed false information, Kloop said on November 9.

The claim was about a report that appeared on Kloop's website in September about jailed opposition politician Ravshan Jeenbekov and a statement he made saying that he was tortured while in custody.

Several Internet providers in the former Soviet republic blocked Kloop's site in Russian before the story ran. The Bishkek city Prosecutor's Office then initiated legal proceedings against the Kloop Media Public Foundation to suspend its work in Kyrgyzstan because of the critical coverage of the government by its media outlet.

The Culture Ministry also demanded Kloop remove an article about the alleged torture of Jeenbekov from its site in Russian.

On September 12, Kloop published an article refusing to remove the material, saying the story in question attributed all information about the situation faced by Jeenbekov while in custody to actual individuals and sources.

Kloop said at the time that it was officially informed of the lawsuit against it and the move followed an audit by the UKMK that determined its "published materials are aimed at sharply criticizing the policies of the current government" and that "most of the publications are purely negative, aimed at discrediting representatives of state and municipal bodies."

Established in June 2007, Kloop is a Kyrgyz news website (kloop.kg) most of whose contributors are students and graduates of the Kloop Media Public Foundation School of Journalism. As an independent media entity, it is known for publishing reports on corruption within various governmental bodies and providing training to Central Asian journalists in fact-checking and investigative techniques.

RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, known as Radio Azattyk, Kloop, and the Center for Corruption and Organized Crime Research (OCCRP) have collaborated on a series of investigations concerning corruption in Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan's civil society and free press have traditionally been the most vibrant in Central Asia. But that has changed amid a deepening government crackdown.

Kyrgyz authorities blocked Radio Azattyk's websites in Kyrgyz and Russian in late October 2022 after it refused to take down a video, which was produced by Current Time, a Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with Voice of America.

Officials of the Central Asian state claimed that the authors of the video "predominantly" took the position of the Tajik side. RFE/RL rejected the accusation saying the broadcaster "takes our commitment to balanced reporting seriously" and that after a review of the content in question, "no violation of our standards" was found.

In July, the Bishkek court annulled the decision that shut down RFE/RL's operations in Kyrgyzstan.

Bangladesh police fired rubber bullets and tear gas Thursday, officials and witnesses said, as violence broke out at a protest by garment workers who rejected a government-offered pay raise.

A government-appointed panel raised wages on Tuesday by 56.25 percent for the South Asian nation's 4 million garment factory workers, who are seeking a near-tripling of their monthly wage.

Bangladesh's 3,500 garment factories account for around 85 percent of its $55 billion in annual exports, supplying many of the world's top brands including Levi's, Zara and H&M.

But conditions are dire for many of the sector's four million workers, the vast majority of whom are women whose monthly pay starts at 8,300 taka ($75).

Police said violence broke out in the industrial city of Gazipur, outside the capital Dhaka, after more than 1,000 workers staged a protest on a highway to reject the panel's offer.

"The workers tried to block the road... and we had to fire tear (gas) shells and rubber bullets to disperse them," Ashok Kumar Pal Gazipur deputy police chief told an AFP reporter at the scene who witnessed the incident.

Police said workers also threw bricks and stones at officers and lit fires on roads. The workers are seeking an increase to 23,000 taka ($208) and unions representing them have rejected the panel's increase as "farcical."

Several thousand workers also left factories in Ashulia, a northern Dhaka suburb, police said.

Police have said at least three workers have been killed since the wage protests broke out in key industrial towns last week, including a 23-year-old woman shot dead on Wednesday.

At least five police officers have also been injured in the protests in which thousands have taken to the streets.

Unions say the panel's wage increase fails to match soaring prices of food, house rents and schooling and healthcare costs.

They have also accused the government and police of arresting and intimidating organizers.

"Police arrested Mohammad Jewel Miya, one of the organizers of our unions. A grass-roots leader... was also arrested," Rashedul Alam Raju, the general secretary of the Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Federation, told AFP.

Another union leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said unions were being threatened by police to call off the protests and accept the wage offer.

"At least six grass-roots unionists have been arrested," the union leader said. There was no immediate comment from police about the arrests.

The United States has condemned violence against protesting Bangladeshi garment workers and "the criminalization of legitimate worker and trade union activities."

In a statement, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller urged the panel "to revisit the minimum wage decision to ensure that it addresses the growing economic pressures faced by workers and their families."

The Netherlands-based Clean Clothes Campaign, a textile workers' rights group, has also dismissed the new pay level as a "poverty wage."

The minimum wage is fixed by a state-appointed board that includes representatives from the manufacturers, unions and wage experts.

Suspended lawyer M. Ravi was sentenced to 21 days’ jail on Wednesday for a series of acts of contempt before two different judges in separate courtroom incidents in November 2021.

He had repeatedly accused Justice Audrey Lim of being “biased”, interrupted her, and told her not to be rude. This took place while he was acting for former SBS Transit bus driver Chua Qwong Meng in a High Court suit against the public transport operator.

He had also accused District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt of being biased after an exchange over why Ravi had been scheduled for two trials in the same morning. This happened during a criminal case in the State Courts involving Magendran Muniandy, a Malaysian, who was accused of forging various documents.

On March 31, 2023, Justice Hoo Sheau Peng had found Ravi liable for nine instances of contempt.

His main defence was that he was suffering a relapse of his bipolar disorder at the time. He admitted that he had forgotten “to take medications on some days”.

In sentencing him on Wednesday, Justice Hoo said the relapse did not significantly impair his ability to exercise self-control and restraint, and she therefore gave only moderate mitigating weight to his condition.

The judge said it was “highly reprehensible” that Ravi committed the long string of contemptuous acts while acting for clients in two sets of proceedings.

“Despite being aware of his mental condition, Mr Ravi did little to guard against or manage the effects of his bipolar disorder while discharging his duties and responsibilities as a lawyer. In particular, Mr Ravi was non-compliant with his medication regime,” she said.

Justice Hoo said it was clear that the sanctions previously imposed on Ravi for similar misconduct in the courtroom in past disciplinary proceedings have not deterred him.

“Unfortunately, Mr Ravi has not learnt from the previous chances accorded to him, and he has not shown remorse for his actions, giving rise to these proceedings.”

He started serving the sentence immediately. This was his first time being charged with and convicted of contempt of court, although he has previously been suspended or ordered to pay financial penalties in disciplinary proceedings for misconduct towards judges.

On Nov 8, 2021, Ravi appeared before Judge Chay to take over from Magendran’s previous lawyer, and told the judge that the trial could start the next day as scheduled.

Shortly after, Ravi appeared before another judge for an unrelated criminal case and confirmed that he was representing one of the accused persons for that trial.

On the morning of Nov 9, 2021, he did not turn up before Judge Chay, and instead appeared before the other judge. He appeared before Judge Chay later in the morning and applied to adjourn Magendran’s case.

After an exchange on why the lawyer had been “double fixed” for two trials, Ravi accused Judge Chay of being “biased” against him. He also interrupted Judge Chay when the judge was speaking to Magendran. The matter was adjourned to the next day.

On Nov 10, Judge Chay dismissed Ravi’s application for the case to be referred to the High Court. Ravi then alleged that the judge was “in contempt of court”, left the courtroom and did not return.

Magendran told the judge he was prepared to represent himself.

On Nov 22, Ravi appeared before Justice Lim as Mr Chua’s lawyer on the first day of trial, while Senior Counsel Davinder Singh acted for SBS.

Justice Lim gave directions on the arrangements for the cross-examination of Mr Chua, who was to testify remotely from Ravi’s office.

Ravi then accused her of being “biased” and alleged that she was siding with Mr Singh.

He applied for Justice Lim to disqualify herself, but she rejected the application.

During the hearing, he stated that Justice Lim was an “interrogator”, alleged that the judge’s directions in relation to the cross-examination were “against the international human rights law”, and told her “don’t be rude”.

He also interrupted the judge when she was trying to have the court interpreter explain to Mr Chua what was going on. Ravi then told the judge that both he and Mr Chua would no longer participate in the proceedings.

That afternoon, the court registry received a letter from Mr Chua stating that he was discharging Ravi as his counsel and wanted to hire a new lawyer to continue with the case before Justice Lim.

In March 2023, Ravi was handed the maximum suspension of five years for making “baseless and grave” allegations against the Attorney-General, prosecutors and the Law Society.

Kazakh rights activist Sanavar Zakirova told RFE/RL on November 8 that an Astana court sentenced her to 15 days in jail for "online calls for unsanctioned rallies." The charge stems from a Facebook post last month calling for a protest rally. Zakirova insists that she was tagged in the post but did not write it. Another activist, Makhabbat Qusaiynova, told the court that she authored the post, but the judge ignored her statement. Zakirova, an outspoken critic of the government, has been sentenced to several jail terms in recent years.

Dozens of activists and oil workers in the restive southwestern Kazakh town of Zhanaozen have demanded the immediate release of of independent trade union leader Amin Eleusinov, who was sentenced to 15 days in jail for violating regulations for public gatherings on November 7. Late on November 8, the oil workers warned that they would "carry out all actions allowed by law" if Eleusinov was not released. In early January 2022, protests in Zhanaozen against fuel price hikes led to unprecedented nationwide unrest that turned deadly. In 2011, at least 16 activists were killed in Zhanaozen when police violently dispersed a protest.

A 19-year-old activist has been sentenced to prison for royal defamation over a speech criticising the monarchy during a protest on 6 December 2020, and been granted parole for two years.

On 6 November 2023, the Central Juvenile and Family Court sentenced Thanakorn (last name withheld), who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community, to two years in prison over a protest speech at Wongwian Yai on 6 December 2020.

The court stated that Thanakorn is a student who lives with his family and it is believed that the parents are capable of taking care of them. Therefore, the court decided to grant Thanakorn a 2-year parole, during which time they will be on probation. Thanakorn is required to report to a Counselling Centre and receive a proper consultation from psychologists every two months. In addition, Thanakorn is prohibited from committing similar offences.

In the protest, they said Thailand is not a democracy but an absolute monarchy and spoke about the role of the monarchy in military coups. At the time, Thanakorn was 17 years old.

The complaint against Thanakorn and two other activists was filed by Chakrapong Klinkaew, leader of the royalist group People Protecting the Institution.

Thanakorn was convicted of royal defamation on 22 November 2022. TLHR reported that even though Thanakorn did not mention specific kings, they were found guilty since the royal defamation law is interpreted to covers the entire monarchy.

The court sentenced them to two years in prison. The court said that since it believes it would be more beneficial for Thanakon to undergo training to improve their behaviour than for them to go to prison, it commuted the prison sentence to a Juvenile Training Centre under the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection of the Ministry of Justice for a minimum of one year and six months or a maximum of three years, until they reach the age of 24 years.

At the time, Thanakorn was granted bail in order to appeal the conviction on a security of 30,000 baht.

Thanakorn was also found guilty of royal defamation for giving a speech criticising the monarchy during a protest on 10 September 2020. TLHR reported that the Nonthaburi Juvenile and Family Court found them guilty of royal defamation and sentenced them to three years in prison. Since they were a minor when charged, the Court reduced the sentence to one year and six months, suspended for two years, during which time they will be on probation.

About the Human Rights Defenders:

1. Pachaiyappan, S/o Krishnan

2. Devan, S/o Munusamy

3. Thirumal, S/o Mohanam

4. Sozhan, S/o Nathikesavan

5. Arul, S/o Arumugam

6. Masilamani, S/o Chinnapaiyan

7. Bakkiyaraj, S/o Balakrishnan

8. Vijayan, S.o of Athimoolam

9. Perumar, S/o Subramani 10.Murugan, S/o of Kuppan 11.Venkatesan, S/o Kuppan 12.Thirumalai, S/o Kalidoss 13.Sundaramoorthi, S/o Nadesan 14.Sadasivan, S/o Shanmugam 15.Balaji, S/o Mani 16.Annamalai, S/o Veerasamu 17.Durairaj, S/o Arumugam 18.Anbalagan, S/o Durairaj 19.Babu, S/o Narayanan 20.Rajdurai, S/o Palani All of them are farmers, land rights activist and Human Rights Defenders.

Background: Hundreds of farmers in the Tiruvannamalai district of the state of Tamil Nadu have been protesting peacefully for more than 128 days against the government's proposed acquisition of about 3000 acres of agricultural wetlands for the SIPCOT (State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd (SIPCOT)), Industrial Park scheme, which will then subsequently be leased to private industries. The police had filed numerous false FIRs (First Information Reports) with criminal charges against the protestors as well as many false criminal cases (FIRs) against them. Details of the Incident: On November 4, 2023, the police arrested 21 farmers in early morning hours at around 2am, by forcing entry into the houses of farmers, and thereafter remanded 20 of them to judicial custody. No DK Basu guidelines of arrest were followed by the police. The arrested farmers were taken to different police station by the police. Those arrested including Pachaiyappan, were subsequently produced before the Cheyyar Judicial Magistrate who first remanded them to the Vellore Central Prison and were then transferred to various central prisons at Madurai Central Prison, Palayamkottai Central Prison, Trichy Central Prison, Cuddalore Central Prison, Salem Central Prison, Tamil Nadu. All of them are still in jail. Their arrests were in connection with an FIR (No. 324 of 2023) filed at Anakkavoor police station on August 29, 2023, when Pachaiyappan and the other farmers were walking together for a public hearing. The public hearing was being organised by the district administration of Thiruvannamalai district when the police stopped them from walking and booked them under sections of unlawful assembly and other sections.

The activists, dressed in clothes made of plastic bags and carrying signs emblazoned with environmentalist slogans, marched to the rallying point where they would submit their petition to Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment.

It was supposed to be a peaceful march to urge the government to raise taxes on plastic bags and charge customers more for using them, in a bid to protect Cambodia’s environment.

But plainclothes officers blocked the way of the 20 marchers, pushed them, snatched their phones, and attempted to confiscate their banners.

“They didn’t listen to us. We are holding banners to request the government to listen to our two requests,” Ream SreyMech Rathana, one of the marchers, told Radio Free Asia.

“Where is democracy? [We are] people [just] walking on the streets who speak their mind but they outlaw us and the authorities are resorting to violence and unethical behavior,” said Ream SreyMech Rathana.

The authorities choose violence as their response, regardless of what the activists are asking for, said Hum Sok Keang, another activist.

“We have observed that authorities don’t allow us to work freely even though our work is beneficial to the country but they think we are polluting the society,” Hum Sok Keang said.

After the encounter, a representative from the Ministry of Environment accepted their petition.

To combat plastic pollution, the Ministry of Environment in 2016 issued a sub decree ordering provincial, city and district authorities to properly handle trash. But critics say authorities have failed to resolve the trash issues, forcing the people to pick up plastic litter from public places.

RFA attempted to reach the ministry’s spokesperson Phai Bun Chhoeun and the Phnom Penh police spokesperson Sam Vicheaca, but neither could be reached for comment.

Plastic pollution pollutes the environment and will discourage tourists from visiting Cambodia, said Chhin Chorvin, another activist.

“Plastic affects humans and animals and pollutes water,” he said. “When we use too much plastic, we burn it and it pollutes the atmosphere.”

Police in Vietnam have released four independent Protestants who were detained for five days after inviting President Vo Van Thuong to observe one of their religious services.

Y Nuer Buon Dap, Y Thinh Nie, Y Cung Nie and his son Y Salemon Eban returned home on Saturday.

The first three were arrested on Oct. 31 and taken to the headquarters of Cu M'gar District Police. Another man, Y Phuc Nie, was arrested the same day, but he was released on Nov. 2.

Y Salemon Eban was arrested on Nov. 3 while his mother, H Tuyen Eban was interrogated by district police on Nov. 2.

“The police forced us to work all day, from 7:30 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. before going to bed, but we were not beaten. We were well fed during the days of our arrest," one of the arrested men told Radio Free Asia, asking to remain anonymous for legal reasons.

He said the police questioned them about their views on religious freedom and civil society.

Before releasing the Protestants, the police told them to stop practicing religion independently and not to study civil society, saying its aim was to oppose the government.

They were also told not to participate in the Aug. 22 International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief and the Dec. 10 International Human Rights Day.

“We cannot accept restrictions on the exercise of freedom of religion and freedom of movement . We will continue to practice religion in our family,” said one of the Protestants.

“What 's wrong with studying civil society? We study according to Vietnamese law and international law and have no intention of opposing the government.”

RFA Vietnamese called Cu M'gar District Police to verify the information, but the person who answered asked the reporter to go to the agency's headquarters and speak to the person in charge.

Many Montagnard families in Dak Lak and some provinces in the Central Highlands follow Protestantism but are not in a state-approved religious organization.

They have no leaders, no organizational structure, everyone in the group has equal rights and equality with each other. Pastors are just trusted representatives of their group.

Since the beginning of 2023, independent Protestant groups have sent four invitations to local authorities and President Vo Van Thuong to attend religious activities to prove that they have no intention of opposing state-approved religions or the government.

Authorities in Vietnam on Tuesday sentenced a Facebook user to three and a half years in prison for his live-streamed videos that were critical of the government, state media reported.

Le Thach Giang, 66, of the southern coastal province of Ninh Thuan, was found guilty of violating Article 331 of Vietnam’s penal code for “abusing democratic freedoms to violate the State’s interests, legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals.”

Rights groups have said that Article 331 is a vaguely written law that is often used by the government to silence dissenting voices and repress the people.

According to the indictment, between Aug. 29 and Nov. 25, 2022, Giang had livestreamed several videos containing information about local authorities in Ninh Thuan on his Facebook account, which was titled “The Brutal Authorities.” He also criticized the Communist Party of Vietnam and late president and revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh.

The videos were allegedly unverified, slanderous and offensive to government agencies and defamatory to the Communist Party of Vietnam and the late president.

State media also said that Giang had been previously sentenced to another three and a half years for “intentionally damaging assets” and “disrupting public order,” but did not specify what these charges were for or when he was sentenced.

Hundreds of police officers broke up a construction site protest in northern Vietnam Tuesday by beating several demonstrators with batons and arresting about a dozen of them, the protesters told Radio Free Asia.

The US$30 million 15-hectare (37-acre) Long Son Container Port Project would build a 250-meter (820-foot) dock to be operational by 2025 in the Hai Ha commune in the northern province of Thanh Hoa, home to nearly 3,000 households, about 400 of which rely on fishing to make a living.

Tuesday’s arrests came after several consecutive days of protests of the project, with residents taking to the streets and occupying the beach to stop Long Son from working. The residents say they want satisfactory compensation and resettlement plans.

Videos of the protest taken by residents show that the police were equipped with batons and shields. At least one man sustained a head injury, and his clothes were stained with blood.

“At around 4 a.m., hundreds of police officers were sent to the scene and they pushed us away from the beach,” a Hai Ha resident who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons told RFA Vietnamese. “When we did not leave, they used batons to hit us. Many got injuries on their heads and limbs. They also arrested many people and took them away.”

More than 10 people were beaten to the point that they sustained minor injuries, another resident, who was also present at the scene, told RFA on condition of anonymity.

“Also, 16 people were arrested and taken to the Nghi Son Town Police Station,” the second resident said. “We were about to go there to demand the release of our people but were blocked by the police right at the edge of our village.”

Since the protest was broken up, leveling work has been started, the second resident said. “We have lost in the struggle to protect our livelihoods.”

Suppressing images

A third resident said that authorities had jammed mobile phone signals to prevent residents from spreading the images and videos of the suppression. The police also prohibited residents from filming the incident, this person said.

To verify the information provided by residents, RFA contacted the Nghi Son Town police and the Thanh Hoa provincial police. However, staff who answered the phone declined to respond to questions and requested that RFA go to their headquarters with the necessary letters of introduction to be provided with information.

A report of the incident in the provincial government’s mouthpiece, the Thanh Hoa online newspaper, said that the provincial police and the authorities of Nghi Son town and Hai Ha commune had jointly “implemented a plan to ensure the construction of Dock No. 3 of the Long Son Container Port so that the construction contractor can carry out the project on schedule.”

The report also said that because “a number of Hai Ha residents continued obstructing the construction,” responsible forces had to “temporarily put some people in custody to investigate, verify and handle the case in accordance with the law.”

The report did not specify how many residents had been arrested and put into custody, nor did it mention any injuries caused by the police crackdown.

Week-long protests

The protests started on the morning of Oct. 23, when around 300 residents from Hai Ha commune took to the streets to oppose the construction project, which, according to them, will adversely affect their livelihood and living environment.

On the afternoon of the same day, Nghi Son Town Police issued a decision to launch a criminal case against those who had obstructed traffic, causing serious traffic congestion for about one kilometer (0.6 miles).

Despite the announcement many residents continued to gather at the Hai Ha commune beach to prevent construction work, although the police had summoned some people and forced them to pledge in writing not to gather at the construction site.

Activist Mongkhon Thirakot has been found guilty of royal defamation and violation of the Computer Crimes Act and sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison for two Facebook posts made in July 2022.

Mongkhon, 30, is a Chiang Rai-based activist and online clothes vendor. He was charged with royal defamation and violation of the Computer Crimes Act for two Facebook posts made on 28 and 30 July 2022. One post contains a picture of King Vajiralongkorn and a message about wearing black in mourning, while another contains an edited picture of Mongkhon holding a picture frame.

Mongkhon was arrested at his family home in Chiang Rai on 11 August 2022 by a unit of 21 police officers. He was later released on bail. The public prosecutor indicted him on the grounds that the posts insulted the King and damaged his reputation.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that, during witness examination, Mongkhon’s friend came to observe the hearing, but was ordered to leave the court room by an official and a court marshal, who said that the court ordered that Mongkhon to be tried in secret. However, TLHR said that no such order was made for the trial but noted that court marshals and security guards were always present at every hearing.

Mongkhon argued that, although he made the two posts, the content was satirical and not an offence under the royal defamation law. He also stated his belief that using the royal defamation law damaged the monarchy, adding that as all are born equal all can be equally criticised.

On Monday (30 October), the Chiang Rai Provincial Court found Mongkhon guilty of royal defamation and sentenced him to a total of 6 years in prison, reduced to 4 because he gave useful testimony. The court also sentenced him to 6 months in prison on a trespassing charge, which was previously suspended. This brings his total sentence to 4 years and 6 months.

Mongkhon was detained overnight as the Chiang Rai Provincial Court forwarded his bail request to the Appeal Court. He was granted bail the next morning on a security of 300,000 baht and on the condition that he does not do anything that damages the monarchy and must not leave the country.

Mongkhon was previously charged with royal defamation for 27 Facebook posts. He was found guilty on 14 counts and sentenced to 28 years in prison by the Chiang Rai Provincial Court. The court ordered the sentences for both cases to be served consecutively. He is now in the process of filing for appeal.

Student activist Benja Apan has been sentenced to prison with a two-year suspension for a royal defamation charge resulting from a speech she gave during a protest on 10 August 2021.

On 30 October 2023, the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court ruled that the student activist violated the royal defamation law and Emergency Decree at a 10 August 2021 protest organised by the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration (UFTD).

Benja was sentenced to three years in prison for the defamation charge and one year with a 12,000 baht fine for the Emergency Decree violation. The court reduced the sentence to two years and eight months, with a two-year suspension, and an 8,000 Baht fine, because she has never been imprisoned and was only 21 years old at the time of the incident.

The court asserted that her speech directly targeted King Vajiralongkorn and amounted to defamation of the King. It refused to accept her testimony that her intention was not to criticise the king but rather the administration of former PM Prayut Chan-o-cha.

During the protest, Benja read out the 2nd UFTD Declaration which stated that the 2014 coup led by Gen Prayut resulted in a regime which only benefited only the elite. The statement also criticised the government’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and called for it to properly handle the pandemic, revitalise the economy, repeal the 2017 Constitution, push forward with reforms of state institutions including the monarchy, and return dignity to the people.

A complaint was filed by members of the People’s Centre for the Protection of Monarchy on 12 August 2021. Benja was arrested on 7 October 2021 after she went to meet the inquiry officer at Lumpini Police Station to hear a charge of violating the Emergency Decree for participating in the 3 September protest at the Ratchaprasong intersection. She did not receive a summons before being arrested.

The activist was taken to the court on 8 October 2021 and denied bail three times before being granted bail on 14 January 2022. She was indicted for the charges on 3 December 2021.

Local sources in Mazar-i-Sharif city have reported the tragic suicide of a young woman named Homa, who took her own life after being released from a Taliban prison. The incident occurred on Saturday, November 4th.

Homa, a passionate protester against Taliban restrictions, was apprehended by the Taliban intelligence agency during a checkpoint inspection in the city’s seventh district of Mazar-i-Sharif on Sunday, October 30th. She remained in their custody for three days.

Although it has been alleged that Homa was a member of the women’s protest network opposing the Taliban’s restrictions on women, the women’s protest network in Balkh has not confirmed or denied her membership to Hasht-e Subh Daily.

Sources have revealed that Homa was 26 years old and had graduated in the field of education from Balkh University.

Reports indicate that Homa endured torture at the hands of the Taliban intelligence agency, with visible evidence of this brutality on her body. After her release from Taliban captivity, she tragically hanged herself from the ceiling of her room, putting an end to her life.

Homa’s body was laid to rest on the same day as her death, Saturday, November 4th.

As of now, the Taliban group in Balkh has not commented on this tragic event.

Throughout their more than two years of control in Afghanistan, the Taliban have consistently suppressed, arrested, and tortured female protesters. There have been documented instances of sexual assaults on women in their prisons as well.

Hui Muslim poet Cui Haoxin, formerly a vocal critic of Beijing's treatment of Uyghurs and Hui Muslims, has been severely beaten by an unidentified man after lying low for nearly three years, according to an associate and an account of the attack posted to his personal blog.

The reports emerged after Cui, who lives in Shandong and goes by the pen name An Ran, disappeared from social media for nearly three years after being warned off speaking out publicly or talking to journalists – on pain of a prison sentence, Radio Free Asia has learned.

Cui was attacked by the man at around 4.00 p.m. local time on Oct. 29 after he went downstairs to pick up a parcel near the gates of his residential compound, a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals told RFA Mandarin.

"This man, whom An Ran had never seen before, was waiting for him on a motorbike near the shelves in his residential community," the person said.

"He didn't say anything but shoved An Ran to one side and started shuffling through all of the packages ... then he asked if he could move over [so An Ran could look for his package], and the guy immediately started yelling and cursing at him," they said.

According to Cui's blog post, the man then knocked him to the ground and started beating him.

"He was hitting so fast and so hard that I couldn't fight back – I just tried to block the blows," he said. "The punches hit home, and now my temples, eyes and the back of my head are swollen and painful."

Cui, 44, tried to get up after his attacker fell over, but the man started beating him again "knocking me to the ground, and not stopping until he was tired," he wrote, adding that his eyesight is now "significantly reduced."

Critical posts

The attack came nearly three years after Cui was held in criminal detention by police in January 2020 for "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble" after he made posts to Twitter criticizing China’s treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang.

Cui dropped off the radar of the overseas media and international activists after that, and made no more posts to his former social media accounts.

A friend of his told Radio Free Asia on Nov. 1 that he was actually released on "bail, pending trial" on Feb. 21, 2020, and warned off posting anything to social media or talking to foreign journalists.

"An Ran's father came to take him home, and from that point on, they lived in a situation where they were continually followed, warned and intimidated by the police," she said.

"The state security police warned his family that he would be sent to prison if he gave interviews to foreign journalists," the friend said. "That would have left An Ran's parents without anyone to take care of them, so An Ran said nothing for three years, not even a comment or a picture."

"He was depressed and almost at the point of mental collapse when he got out [from detention]," the friend said.

‘Big prison’

U.S.-based activist Sulaiman Gu said the blog post is the first news anyone has had from Cui in three years.

"An Ran really did disappear completely over the past three years," he said. "Nobody knew what had happened to him."

"All I know is that he had been warned many times and held for short periods of time prior to his detention [in 2021], and tricked into going for 'red' education in Jinggangshan," Gu said.

"He was in great danger at that time, but then he was released into the big prison," he said, referring to the tight surveillance and restrictions that are frequently imposed by Chinese police on former political prisoners long after their release from detention or prison.

"At least he's not in the small prison," Gu said.

Prior to his detention Cui was an outspoken critic of China's mass incarceration of Uyghurs and other Muslims in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where authorities have placed as many as 1.8 million people accused of harboring “strong religious views” and “politically incorrect” ideas in a network of internment camps since April 2017.

He had also been detained and questioned by state security police in 2018 over critical tweets, and warned not to use overseas social media or to become a "tool" of hostile foreign forces.

In April 2018, Cui was sent on a week-long ideological "re-education" course in eastern China and was briefly detained in connection with his poetry and other writings that reference Xinjiang.

In one article published at the time, Cui describes Xinjiang as having left a "planet-sized impression" on him.

"Xinjiang, that massive presence that defies expression, left a planet-sized impression on me that is ineradicable," Cui wrote in an article that also referenced the Syrian conflict and the Arab Spring.

"This is a land of poetry and song ... when I headed out west to the Central Asian city of Kashgar, no sooner had I arrived than I made straight for the tomb of an ancient poet, and raised my hands in prayer for him beside the dusty tomb swathed in green silk."

At least 30 journalists came under attack, while the vehicles and equipment of some of them were vandalised during a clash between the supporters of the main opposition Bangladeshi Nationalist Party and the police in the capital’s Naya Paltan area on Saturday.

The clash between the protesters and police began about 11:30am before the BNP started its scheduled grand rally in front of its party office at Naya Paltan, during which journalists were also injured.

Different journalist organisations and platforms condemned the attacks on their fellows.

The Dhaka Reporters Unity in their statement condemned the attacks on and torture of 30 journalists and also snatching of their mobile phones and valuables and damaging of their cameras and other equipment.

The DRU leadership said that such attacks are never acceptable and against the press freedom.

Protesters at Rajmoni crossing intercepted Mohammad Ali Mazed, AFP video journalist and an executive committee member of the Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media, beating him up with sticks, while he was heading towards Kakrail intersection during the clash.

The protestors also broke his camera.

Later, the BJIM in a statement said that it strongly condemns the brutal attacks on at least 19 on-duty journalists, including two of its cofounders, as major political parties staged rallies in the capital within very risky proximities on Saturday.

Brick chips were hurled at Sazzad Hossain, a freelance photographer for international media and a BJIM member. He was also stampeded allegedly by BNP activists.

New Age journalist Ahammad Foyez, Bangla Tribune’s Salman Tarek Shakil, Daily Kalbela’s Rafsan Jani, and Share Biz’s Hamidur Rahman, among others, sustained injuries.

Rafsan Jani was badly beaten and taken to hospital.

Daily Inqilab’s FA Masum told New Age that he was taking photos when two processions of BNP and ruling Awami League were about to face off in a confrontation at the time of which someone dragged him from back and started beating near the AL procession.

Masum said he could not recognise any of the attackers. A car of Jamuna Television was vandalised in Kakrail, while a

microbus of Maasranga Television carrying Noor Un Nahar Weely was attacked at Shahjahanpur in the evening.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists in their statement also alleged that journalists were targeted when they were filming or photographing acts of vandalism and arson during the programmes of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

The criminalization of several farmers from the Tani Nelayan Union (STN) by the Jambi Police occurred in Betung Village, Kumpeh, Muaro Jambi Regency on Sunday, October 29, 2023.

Even more ironic, one of the lecturers from a well-known university in Jambi, initials H, was involved in committing violence against farmers.

"This is inhumane treatment from the authorities. And ironically academics are also involved. We strongly condemn this criminalization," said Suluh Rifai, Chairman of STN, when giving a statement to the media crew.

According to Rifai, inhumane actions occurred when several farmers were treated like animals, tied up by the neck and then dragged by police officers and several people from the Fajar Pagi Plasma Cooperative of PT Ricky Kurniawan Kertapersada (PT RKK).

Rifai could not understand the criminalization carried out by the authorities and unscrupulous lecturers. In fact, according to him, the power possessed by the police and lecturers should be devoted to the people, not to the cooperative.

"I can't stop thinking. The police are no longer an institution to protect the people. But the oppressor of the people. These lecturers are also the same, they have tarnished higher education institutions that should be independent from corporations, instead they are under the feet of corporations," said Rifai angrily.

When asked for information on the criminalization of farmers, Rifai said that the Fajar Pagi Cooperative, former plasma of PT RKK, had violated the law from the beginning and caused losses to the state for dozens of years because it had planted oil palm plantations in the Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) area.

Previously, PT RKK had also been defeated by the judges at all levels that the rightful owner of the land occupied by PT RKK was now PT WKS.

After all, according to Rifai, the government permit given to PT WKS is an Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) concession.

However, Rifai explained, PT RKK has broken the law and violated the PTUN decision by continuing to use the Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) area with oil palm plantations on an area of 2391 hectares since 2008.

"The state has been tricked by PT RKK since a dozen years. For me this is a shame, as big as Indonesia can be fooled by PT. RKK, which is now bankrupt," Rifai said, again.

Not finished there, PT. RKK also said Rifai was the culprit for burning forests and destroying ecology in Muaro Jambi but never paid fines until now, which amounted to more than 191 billion.

For the actions of PT RKK, Rifai urged the Indonesian Ministry of Environment (KLH), the National Police Chief and the Ministry of Education to immediately punish PT RKK and its plasma Fajar Pagi Cooperative and Jambi Police who were involved and unscientific lecturers.

Rifai also demanded that the Ministry of ATR / BPN RI immediately cancel the HGU of PT. RKK and asked the Chief of Police to stop and take over the case being handled by the Jambi Police for the detention of several farmers without trial.

Sri Lankan authorities must immediately drop any investigation into freelance Tamil journalists Punniyamoorthy Sasikaran and Valasingham Krishnakumar in retaliation for their reporting and allow them to work without interference, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.

On October 28, a police officer separately interrogated Sasikaran and Krishnakumar at their homes in eastern Batticaloa district following their reporting on an October 8 protest, according to the advocacy group Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka and the journalists, who spoke with CPJ.

The protest, which coincided with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to Batticaloa, included hundreds of farmers and activists demonstrating against alleged state-backed land grabbing by Sinhalese settlers. Sasikaran covered the events for the privately owned U.K.-based broadcaster IBC Tamil and digital news outlet BATTIMIRROR, while Krishnakumar reported for the privately owned websites Maddu News and Samugam Media.

The officer questioned Sasikaran and Krishnakumar about their personal and journalistic backgrounds and activities, and what occurred at the protest for around two and a half hours and one hour and 15 minutes, respectively, the journalists told CPJ.

The officer ordered them to sign written statements of their testimony and notified them that they had been named in a police criminal investigation in relation to the protest along with several farmers, politicians, and activists, and were due to appear for a hearing at the Eravur Magistrate Court on November 17. Neither Sasikaran nor Krishnakumar had received a written summons or a copy of a police report detailing the precise allegations against them as of November 8, they said.

“Sri Lankan authorities must immediately cease all forms of reprisal against journalists Punniyamoorthy Sasikaran and Valasingham Krishnakumar and ensure they may report freely,” said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih Yi. “The government must put an end to the long-standing pattern of relentless harassment targeting Tamil journalists covering human rights violations impacting their community.”

Following Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war that ended in 2009, ethnic tensions persist between the Sinhalese people, the country’s majority ethnic group, and Tamils, who have experienced systematic discrimination in the country.

On November 4, Sasikaran and Krishnakumar received a court order, reviewed by CPJ, directing them to hand over their unedited video footage of a Buddhist monk threatening to “cut Tamils into pieces,” and to provide a statement to police in relation to a separate investigation into the monk.

On November 7, Sasikaran and Krishnakumar appeared at the Batticaloa Divisional Crime Detective Bureau and provided the footage to police, who questioned them for one hour each about their coverage and which media outlets they shared their videos with, they told CPJ.

Sasikaran and Krishnakumar told CPJ that they believed the latest incident was another form of harassment intended to muzzle their reporting on farmers and marginalized communities.

CPJ’s messages to Ajith Rohana, deputy inspector-general of the Batticaloa police, did not receive a response.

Police have repeatedly interrogated Sasikaran and Krishnakumar in retaliation for their work. On August 22, a mob of around 50 Sinhalese men held Krishnakumar and two other journalists captive while they were reporting on alleged state-backed land encroachments in Batticaloa. No suspects had been accountable for this incident as of November 8, Krishnakumar said.

The Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media (BJIM) strongly condemns the brutal attacks on at least 19 on-duty journalists including two of its co-founders on October 28, 2023, as three major political parties staged rallies in the capital within very risky proximities on Saturday.

​

Mohammad Ali Mazed, AFP Video Journalist and a BJIM Executive Committee Member, was ambushed and beaten on the head and back with sticks by several activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). His safety gear saved him from severe injuries though the miscreants broke his newsgathering kit.

Sazzad Hossain, a Freelance photographer for The Guardian, DW, and SOPA Images and a BJIM member, was also targeted with brick chips and later stampeded by some BNP activists.

New Age journalist Ahamed Fayez, Bangla Tribune’s Salman Tarek Shakil, Jobaer Ahmed, Daily Kalbela’s Rafsan Jani, Abu Saleh Musa, Rabiul Islam Rubel, Touhidul Islam Tarek, Dhaka Times’ Salekin Tarin, Kazi Ihsan Didar, Inqilab’s F A Masum, Ittefaq’s Tanvir Ahammed, Sheikh Naser, Ekushey TV’s Touhidur Rahman, Arifur Rahman, Desh Rupantor’s Arifur Rahman Rabbi, The Report’s Tahir Zaman, Share Biz’s Hamidur Rahman and Freelance journalist Maruf were also injured by attacks of miscreants within the rallies.

Rallies and demonstrations are part of democratic movements and we respect the political parties’ attempt to uphold the essence of democracy.

​

Similarly, it is necessary to remember that journalism is the fourth estate of democracy. Any blow towards the free press will be counted as a lesion on democracy. Such attacks on journalists are not acceptable and we demand free, fair, and swift justice for our injured colleagues.

We also officially reprimand policemen’s attacks on journalists covering the unlawful checking at Dhaka entrances in the past few evenings ahead of the rallies.

Additionally, we promise to further enhance our monitoring of journalists’ safety in Bangladesh.

We assure our colleagues, from local and international media, that we will always stand with you.

A lawsuit has been filed by APSARA National Authority against seven villagers, including a commune police chief, who live around Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for allegedly inciting and obstructing public work in August.

Two separate court summons issued against the villagers were obtained by CamboJA One summon was against four villagers, including the local police officer, who allegedly obstructed public work and intentionally caused damage and violence. Another summon was issued to the villagers for allegedly inciting other villagers.

On August 8, hundreds of villagers protested against an attempt by APSARA to demolish allegedly illegal structures after issuing a notice in Prasat Bakong district’s Meanchey commune.

Although the authority failed to demolish the structures, the villagers have been restricted by APSARA from constructing additional structures in front of their house or fixing their roofs.

“I don’t know why they have filed a suit [against me]. I only went to see [the protest],” said 38-year-old Var Chamnab, who is being sued along with three other villagers by APSARA.

“I wasn’t the only one [there] on that day … hundreds of people protested,” he said, adding that he was aware that villagers do not have permission to build, but that they had sought for permission several times but were denied.

Rolous commune police chief Rai Vanna said he cannot offer any details or comment as yet as he has not testified in court as to what he witnessed during the protest. He was supposed to give evidence on October 18 but it was postponed.

He said he had gone to the protest to monitor the situation and ensure public order.

“On behalf of the authorities, we have to give evidence on the case – villagers who were protesting – but the questioning has been deferred. So, I can’t say more as I am an official and I need to get approval from my boss before I can say anything,” Vanna said.

A villager, 36-year-old Sok Pov, was accused of incitement for allegedly posting APSARA’s notice on the removal of “illegal” structures in Bangkorng village on August 14 and 15. He is alleged to have asked villagers living inside and outside the village to “please join the protest”.

“I just posted [the notice] to inform people to come and appeal against the demolition,” he told the court when questioned on October 23, before being allowed to return home.

“I think it [the legal suit] was unreasonable. It is like restricting our freedom of expression when [all we did was] post the notice,” Pov said.

He said villagers living in Zone 2, which is a world heritage site, are not allowed to build new structures and extend the front portion of their house as it would impact the Angkor temples.

“There are a lot of difficulties [restrictions] … we can’t fix our house roof or build any extension in front. Within the authorities’ land, there are a lot of restrictions.

“They require us to seek permission [for construction] but when we request, they do not give us permission,” Pov said.

Earlier, a letter was sent by APSARA to village chiefs and representatives to inform them about the demolition of illegal structures, such as new shelters or cottages and new additions to front portions of old houses, from August 14 to 15, 2023.

APSARA spokesperson Long Kosal confirmed that his officials had “demolished” several illegal structures and houses but he could not specifically identify which ones needed to be removed.

“[New] constructions are not allowed within the world heritage site and they would need to get permission to build them. When it’s built without permission, it is [an] illegal [structure],” Kosal said.

“But, it doesn’t mean that when you apply for permission you will get an approval,” Kosal said, adding that there are legal requirements and conditions that should be satisfied when applications are reviewed.

Before the authority removed the structures, APSARA issued a notice in advance, he confirmed, but denied that there were restrictions on the rights of people who live within the world heritage sites.

“I think that some of our people have different levels of knowledge about the law. We can review how many people are living at the world heritage site, who are allowed to to fix houses or remove old houses and build new houses,” he said.

“We have to review the situation as a whole, not by looking on a case by case basis,” Kosal said.

NGO Licadho rights coordinator Ing Kongchet, who investigated the issue, called on the court officials to drop the charges against the villagers. He also urged UNESCO to intervene to protect the fundamental rights of the villagers and improve their living conditions.

“It is an issue that violates human rights. We appeal to APSARA and UNESCO to reconsider this case. APSARA has restricted people’s rights in requesting to fix or build houses.

“We support conservation but people’s livelihoods are important as well. People need security and safety. If their houses have no gates or toilets, and their roofs leak when it rains, they should give permission to fix it,” Kongchet said.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson with the UNESCO World Heritage Center asserted that UNESCO has “never requested, supported, or was a party to the relocation program” and that any questions relating to it should be conveyed to the national authority.

In response to CamboJA’s questions via email on Friday evening, the spokesperson said for all the sites in the world, UNESCO underscores that conservation measures decided by the authorities “must necessarily involve, take into account the opinion and respect the rights of local communities, and comply with human rights”.

The importance of the inclusion of local communities has been officially included in the World Heritage Convention’s Operational Guidelines since 2015.

According to the spokesperson, the center has already conveyed the concerns raised by international NGOs regarding the relocation program to the Cambodian state party and the World Heritage Committee, a 21-member intergovernmental body. (A state party is a country, in this case Cambodia, which has adhered to the World Heritage Convention).

At its last session in September 2023, the committee requested the state party to “take into consideration the living conditions and the rights of local communities and inhabitants affected by these relocations”, the spokesperson mentioned.

The state party was also requested to submit an updated report on the state of conservation of the property demonstrating the implementation of its suggestions to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, by December 1, 2024.

The spokesperson reminded that despite UNESCO’s resolute commitment to rights-based management of World Heritage Sites including the inclusion of rights holders and local communities in the conservation strategies of the properties, it does not have the mandate to impose measures on member states. “The conservation and management of World Heritage Properties are under the sole authority of the concerned state parties, which are sovereign over their territories.”

In the meantime, Siem Reap provincial court spokesperson Yin Srang confirmed that the court has postponed the questioning of the four villagers, including the policeman and that the next date has not been fixed yet.

Srang claimed that he does not know who the prosecutor of the case is, when asked to comment on those who have been questioned.

Last week, CamboJA reported that 700 villagers from seven villages in Pouk district and Siem Reap City protested against APSARA for attempting to demolish the illegal structures.

Kosal said there are about 10,000 families who voluntarily moved to relocation sites, while the Peak Sneng site remains under construction.

Update: This story was updated on November 4 at 10:40 a.m. ICT to include comments received from UNESCO World Heritage Center after publication.

Li Yuhan, the Chinese human rights lawyer who won the 2020 Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law, has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison. Detained six years ago, she was charged with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”

Li, who was tried in 2021, was sentenced on Oct. 25 in the First Courtroom of Heping District Court in the Liaoning Province city of Shenyang. She will receive credit for her time in detention and has filed to appeal the sentence.

She represented Chinese rights lawyer Wang Yu during the "709 Crackdown" in 2015, when China launched a sweeping crackdown on more than 300 lawyers and human rights defenders.

The ailing Li Yuhan, 74, has been detained at the Shenyang No. 1 Detention Center since her arrest on Oct. 9, 2017. Authorities added a third charge against her, fraud in 2018, and canceled her trial repeatedly without explanation.

Human rights officials from Germany, France, the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries had hoped to observe the trial but were unable to as authorities packed the room with selected spectators.

Li Yuhan's younger brother, Li Yongsheng, told VOA Mandarin, "In this so-called open trial, except for me, a family member, everyone else was kept away by the government. The Heping District Court treated this ordinary criminal case like that of a formidable enemy. They surrounded the court with iron fences and deployed many undercover police and auxiliary police."

Wang, Li’s onetime client, told VOA Mandarin that Shenyang Heping District Court violated international norms against illegal detention and went against China's Criminal Procedure Law, which mandates issuance of a verdict within five years.

Paul Mooney, an American human rights advocate and former Reuters journalist, said, "The sole 'crime' of lawyer Li Yuhan is her courage in handling highly sensitive cases related to religious freedom, including Falun Gong and house churches, and her defense of the distinguished human rights lawyer Wang Yu.

“Detaining a human rights lawyer like Li Yuhan arbitrarily for over six years without a verdict not only violates Chinese law but also underscores the Chinese Communist Party's lack of confidence and a concerning trend of increasing political repression."

Li's son, Ma Wenting, who lives in Germany, told VOA Mandarin, "She has coronary heart disease and arrhythmia. She has undergone coronary artery bypass grafting and stent surgery. … My mother suffered multiple heart attacks in prison. Our family applied for medical parole three times but were all rejected."

Teng Biao, a prominent human rights lawyer in China who has lived in the U.S. since 2014, said in a phone interview on Oct. 25, "Li Yuhan is over 70 years old and seriously ill and has been detained for more than six years. The refusal of her medical parole is not only a violation of legal procedures but also a violation of humanity."

Li Yongsheng told VOA Mandarin that his sister had questioned the Shenyang Heping District Court's jurisdiction since the beginning of the trial, as she did not have a registered address in the district, and she wasn’t arrested there.

"This is an illegal trial. In addition, the testimony and evidence from the prosecutor's office cannot prove my sister is guilty at all," he said. "The defense lawyer He Wei's defense is very good. It is a pity that the power of judgment lies in the hands of the authorities, and the court still pronounced my sister guilty. We will have to continue to appeal and complain that the authorities violated the law."

Teng said, "The heart of the Li Yuhan case lies in the blatant disregard for the law and proper procedures by the authorities. Her arrest and charge of 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble' are clearly retaliatory actions against her human rights activities. The primary and direct motive for this retaliation is her involvement in the case of Wang Yu, the first lawyer arrested in the Chinese Communist Party's 709 crackdown. Additionally, Li Yuhan has a long history of petitioning and human rights work. This clearly indicates that the authorities are targeting her."

Ma told VOA Mandarin, "Although the sentence of six years and six months is relatively severe, compared with the previous indefinite extended detention, our family can see more hope. ... I hope my seriously ill mother can be released from prison as soon as possible and receive medical treatment. I also hope the prison will guarantee my mother's basic human rights and the right to see a doctor."

Sri Lanka's Education Ministry has expressed regret over the attack on the protest launched by school teachers and principals in Pelawatte, Battaramulla, on Tuesday.

The Education Ministry said that such an incident taking place at a time when teachers, and principals were seeking solutions to their issues, was regrettable.

A statement added that the incident took place when the Education Minister was overseas for a conference, and it added that the Minister had expressed his apology to the teachers and principals who were severely inconvenienced by it.

On Tuesday afternoon, school teachers, principals, and advisors engaged in a protest march, citing several demands.

Sri Lanka police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters.

Dozens of residents from a fishing area in north-central Vietnam this week have protested the building of a port project, despite police launching a criminal investigation of them for disturbing public order, demonstrators said.

On Wednesday, Thanh Hoa provincial authorities mobilized dozens of police officers to force protesting fisherfolk — mostly women — to leave the construction site where a dock is being built, one of the sources said. Though they stayed, police did not take any measures against them and left the area at noon.

About 300 residents of Hai Ha commune first took to the streets on the morning of Oct. 23 with banners and placards to show their opposition to the Long Son Container Port project, which they say will adversely affect their livelihoods and living environment.

“We don’t want the Long Son Container Port project because it is located in the coastal area we inherited from our ancestors, and it has been passed down from generation to generation,” said a villager on Wednesday who declined to be named out of fear of reprisal by authorities.

Fishing provides the only income to cover her family’s expenditures, including her children’s education expenses, she said.

“If the port is built, residents like us will be adversely affected by pollution, and there will be no places for our boats to anchor and no places for us to trade seafood,” she said.

Generating income

Long Son Ltd. Co. is investing more than US$30 million to build the 15-hectare (37-acre) project, which will have a 250-meter (820-foot) dock. It is expected to be operational in 2025.

The project will play a crucial role in the development of the first dedicated container port area at Nghi Son Port, according to state-run Vietnam News Agency. Once Dock No. 3 is built, it will serve as a dike against waves and winds and create a 10-hectare (33-foot) water area for local fishermen to safely anchor their boats.

The port is expected to generate revenue and jobs in Thanh Hoa province, including Hai Ha commune.

State media reported that Thanh Hoa provincial authorities conducted thorough studies and environmental assessments as well as consulted local people on the project. But the woman said representatives of the authorities only went around to people’s homes to try to persuade them not to oppose the project and its implementation.

The protest on Oct. 23 prompted Nghi Son town police to file charges against them for obstructing traffic and causing a kilometer-long (0.6 mile) vehicle backup.

Police at the scene took photos of the protesters, recorded videos and collected other information, some villagers involved in the demonstration said.

Police also issued an order requiring Hai Ha residents to adhere to the law and not to gather in groups to disrupt public order, incite others, or be enticed to obstruct the construction of Dock No. 3 of the Long Son Container Port project.

Threatened with arrest

Police threatened them with arrest for disrupting public order — which carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison — if they continued.

Hai Ha commune includes nearly 3,000 households with about 11,000 inhabitants, most of whom rely on fishing to make a living. The villagers say they fear that port officials will cut off their access to the waters where they fish and prohibit them from anchoring their boats.

Villagers ignored the police order and continued their protest on Tuesday and Wednesday, hoping to prevent the dock’s construction.

The woman quoted above said that the villagers are not afraid of going to jail because they don’t want to lose their home beach.

But if they have to relocate as a result of a loss of livelihoods, villagers will expect satisfactory compensation and a new living area with spaces to safely anchor their boats, she said.

“We staged a march and did not offend anyone or did not cause any harm,” she said. “None of us offended the police. We followed the traffic law, [and] we walked on the roadside and stayed in rows.”

The port will join four other industrial projects surrounding the 1,200-hectare (2,965-acre) commune. The others are a cement factory, a port for coal transportation in the north, a thermal power plant in the west, and a steel factory in the south.

Though the projects have created jobs for locals, they have also created serious environmental pollution, negatively affecting residents’ lives, a second woman said.

Over the past weeks, innumerable protests – some impromptu, many by Muslim organisations and a few by rights organisations – have been organised across many big and small cities in India. These protests, largely peaceful, have raised citizen’s voices against what is seen as Israel’s siege and relentless bombing of Gaza. Indian law enforcement authorities from Mumbai to Uttar Pradesh (UP) to Delhi have however, in many cases taken “action.”

The issue at stake is the denial of permissions to several groups countrywide who have expressed a desire to protest this issue. Starting with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the violence in West Asia has so far claimed the lives of 1,400 Israelis and over 5,100 Palestinians. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, about 40% of the Palestinians killed are children. And like in the rest of the world, Indians in several cities have been wanting to protest but have been denied the right. Where they have, in many instances, the protest has been criminalised.

October 23, 2023, Delhi

The Telegraph reported that students from JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia and Delhi University detained as they try to hold protest near Israeli embassy and police had erected barricades to stop them from reaching the embassy at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road. The report detailed that scores of students from JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia and Delhi University had gathered to take part in the protest. Police had erected barricades to stop them from reaching the embassy at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road. When some of the students tried to march towards the embassy, they were detained as they did not have the required permission to hold the protest, said a police officer, adding that “no one was allowed to violate law and order”. All India Students Association (AISA) Delhi unit president Abhigyan said several students were detained and taken to a police station.

Chairperson and editor of https://smartkarnalinews.com/ Lankraj Dhamala received threat for reporting news on October 20. The incident took place in Kalikot district, Karnali Province.

Editor Dhamala shared with Freedom Forum that he had reported on the province's Raskot municipality's ineffective service delivery and mismanagement of the municipality's property and published the ground reporting video on October 9, 2023. After 11 days, an abusive post on municipality chief's secretariat's social media page was found targetting Dhamala. Following this, Mayor's relatives also threatened Dhamal through different phone numbers.

"If the threats continue, It will proceed with filing complaint at concerned authority", said Dhamala.

Freedom Forum is concerned over the threat issued to a journalist for his reporting. The municipality and its chief is urged to seek legitimate ways for any concern over published news content, rather than discrediting and abusing journalists. It is violation of press freedom.

A regime-controlled court in Indaw Township, upper Sagaing Region, sentenced a teacher volunteering for the publicly mandated anti-junta National Unity Government (NUG) to life imprisonment last week, according to resistance sources.

Hein Min Thu, also known as Arnold, was teaching at a school operated by the NUG in Kyaw village two miles south of Indaw before his arrest. He was also a participant in the civil disobedience movement (CDM), known for organising strikes opposing the Myanmar military regime since it seized power in February 2021, the Indaw Township People’s Defence Team (PDT) said.

He was arrested at his home in Indaw on June 5, according to the Indaw Township PDT, and was handed his sentence on October 20.

The military subjected Hein Min Thu to interrogation, holding him for five months before convicting him on terrorism charges for collecting funds for the NUG, teaching at an NUG-operated school and failing to inform the authorities about resistance groups’ activities, according to propaganda posts on pro-regime social media channels.

The pro-junta posts also claimed that military courts in Sagaing Region have sentenced 283 people.

“The terrorist military council charges and tortures people in all kinds of ways in order to maintain their power. We will be able to put an end to such abuses only after the military dictatorship falls,” said NUG deputy minister of education Sai Khaing Myo Tun.

Since the military coup nearly three years ago, regime authorities have arrested more than 380 teachers participating in the CDM, according to figures published this month by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Aung Myat Moe, a secretary of the Basic Education General Strike Committee, confirmed that the military council is purposefully targeting educational workers who joined the CDM and handing them excessively severe sentences.

“They are trying to weaken the education and health workers’ civil disobedience mechanism, which is currently strong. They are also approaching individual teachers, trying to persuade them to renounce their participation. The reason for giving a teacher a life sentence is intimidation; their message is that if you keep doing this, the consequences will be disastrous,” he said.

In December of 2022, a junta court handed a death sentence to a 25-year-old primary school teacher participating in the CDM from Myan Aung Township, Ayeyarwady Region. The court had found him guilty of murder and terrorism.

Jakarta Police Chief Inspector General Karyoto explained that the police's decision to detain several students who were about to join the protest on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan on Friday was a preventive measure to avoid provocation.

"At the beginning, there was information that it was feared that among the students there were people who intended to wreak havoc," said Karyoto on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Jakarta, Friday (20/10).

He said that protesters whose intention was only to protest would only carry banners of demands or similar objects and obey the command of their field coordinator.

Meanwhile, if protesters are caught carrying toothpaste, which is usually used to protect the eyes from irritation when exposed to tear gas, it shows that there are bad intentions.

"If so, it means there are bad intentions, so we detained them for further questioning," said Karyoto.

He also said that some of the students who were detained were underage and not yet in a position to participate in such protests.

However, Karyoto emphasized that all students who were detained had been released after questioning by the police.

Previously, police detained 12 students who arrived at Gondangdia Station, Central Jakarta, before they could join the group of protesters who gathered on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat on Friday afternoon.

The 12 students were released and returned to their colleagues at the location of the action at 19.00 WIB after a dialogue between the protesters and the main expert of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) Joanes Joko. Police said they were taken to the police station.

Previously, students who were arrested by the police only wore black T-shirts without wearing university alma maters as identity. "Once again, if you don't wear the alma mater uniform, please step back. Enough is enough," said one of the police officers on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Friday (20/10/2023). The arrested student was suspected of trying to break through.

"Those who enter to incite us, please step back, please step back, there will be time for negotiations. Please step back," continued the police through a loudspeaker. Not long after that, representatives of the students for the audience were asked to enter the safe area.

Chaos occurred when the released students were escorted back to their colleagues by Joanes and the police.

One of the released students was then given the opportunity to speak. In his oration, he admitted that he was apprehended with his colleagues after arriving at the station.

Protesters from the Student Executive Boards of various universities began to gather and express their opinions in front of the Arjuna Wiwaha Horse Statue at around 15.30 WIB. After exceeding the time limit for the protest at 18.00 WIB, they dispersed from the location of the protest at around 19.45 WIB.

The Phnom Penh Appeal Court today upheld the convictions of eight current and former unionists from the Labor Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees of NagaWorld (LRSU).

Nine activists, including union President Chhim Sithar, were convicted of incitement under Articles 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in May 2023. Eight of the activists appealed the verdict. They included Sithar, who received the maximum sentence of two years in prison; Chhim Sokhorn, Hay Sopheap, Kleang Soben, Sun Srey Pich and Touch Sereymeas, who were sentenced to 18 months in prison; and Sok Narith and Ry Sovandy, who received one-year suspended sentences.

The Appeal Court trial started this morning. The court announced its verdict upholding the lower court’s judgment in full this afternoon after deliberating for 30 minutes. Sok Kongkea, who was also convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court and received a suspended sentence, did not appeal the lower court’s verdict.

LRSU members have been on strike since December 2021, after the NagaWorld casino laid off the entire LRSU leadership and many of its members. The unionists were arrested in December 2021 and January 2022, and held in pre-trial detention until March 2022. Sithar was arrested again in November 2022 for allegedly violating judicial supervision conditions. She has since been detained in Prey Sar’s Correctional Centre 2. The other activists will remain under judicial supervision until all appeal avenues are exhausted.