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  • EU raises concerns as Amnesty International halts India operations

    The government defended its actions and said Amnesty International is in “clear contravention” of Indian law

    A view of Amnesty International India office at Indiranagar, in Bengaluru, Karnataka on September 29, 2020.A view of Amnesty International India office at Indiranagar, in Bengaluru, Karnataka on September 29, 2020. | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

    Expressing “concerns” about the government’s investigation into Amnesty International (AI), the European Union said it hopes the global human rights agency can continue its work in India.

    However, the government defended its actions and said AI is in “clear contravention” of Indian law.

    The action against AI including freezing their funds, followed a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiry, and is part of the government’s scrutiny of more than 20 international NGOs including Greenpeace, Compassion International, and Ford Foundation, over the past few years.

    “We have already raised the issue with our Indian interlocutors in New Delhi and in Brussels, expressing our concerns and the expectation that these issues will be solved, and we will continue to do so,” EU spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security policy Nabila Massrali said, in a response to The Hindu.

    “Not prejudging the outcome of any investigation or judicial proceedings, the European Union highly values the work of Amnesty International worldwide and hopes that the matter will be resolved, allowing Amnesty to continue its activities in India without interruption,” Ms. Massrali added.

    The Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment on the EU’s comments.

    However, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a broad defence of actions by various agencies against AI for the past decade, calling it a “bipartisan and purely legal approach towards Amnesty”, which has now suspended its India operations, claiming a “witch-hunt” by the government.

    “In order to circumvent the FCRA regulations, Amnesty UK remitted large amounts of money to four entities registered in India, by classifying it as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). A significant amount of foreign money was also remitted to Amnesty (India) without MHA’s approval under FCRA. This malafide rerouting of money was in contravention of extant legal provisions,” said the MHA in a rare public statement on the NGO entitled “Human Rights cannot be an excuse for defying the law of the land”.

    “India, by settled law, does not allow interference in domestic political debates by entities funded by foreign donations,” the MHA added, in a pointed reference to AI’s reports on alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as its reference to Delhi Police investigations into the February riots in Delhi where 53 people were killed.

    The government said the enquiry into Amnesty International had been undertaken by both the UPA and the NDA regimes over the past decade which, it said, showed that the “entire fault lies in the dubious processes adopted by Amnesty to secure funds for its operations.”

    The Congress-led UPA government had blocked over ₹5 crore foreign funds to Amnesty between 2010 and 2013 after receiving allegedly adverse intelligence reports. In 2014, the Modi government blocked Amnesty’s request to receive a ₹3 crore foreign donation as well.

    Since Amnesty International Foundation and its three subsidiaries — Amnesty India Private Limited, Indians for Amnesty International Trust and Amnesty International South Asia Foundation — are not registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA), a pre-requisite for civil society groups, associations and NGOs to receive foreign donations, it used the “prior permission” route, which meant applying to the government each time it wanted to accept a foreign donation. In 2019, the Enforcement Directorate also served a show-cause notice to Amnesty for alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) involving ₹51.72 crore.

    In the past five years, the government has taken action against several foreign donors including U.S.-based Compassion International, Ford Foundation, World Movement for Democracy (WMD), Open Society Foundations (OSF) and National Endowment for Democracy (NED). Ford Foundation was taken off its watchlist after protests from several U.S. Congressmen and the Obama administration.

    The same year, the registration of Greenpeace International was cancelled on the premise that it compromised the “economic security” of the country by allegedly orchestrating protests at coal plants and at other developmental projects.

    With inputs from The Hindu

    (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

  • China takes the 1959 line on perception of the LAC amid a nearly five-month-long border standoff

    India rejects China’s assertion over following its 1959 stand on perception of LAC

    PTI

    New Delhi: India on Tuesday rejected China’s position that it abides by its 1959 stand on the perception of the Line of Actual Control(LAC), and asked the neighbouring country to refrain from advancing an “untenable unilateral” interpretation of the de-facto border.

    The stand by China spelt out by its foreign ministry insisting that it takes the 1959 line on perception of the LAC amid a nearly five-month-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh triggered a strong reaction from India.

    “India has never accepted the so-called unilaterally defined 1959 Line of Actual Control (LAC). This position has been consistent and well known, including to the Chinese side,” MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in response to a question by the media on the issue.

    The spokesperson’s comments came after a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson told Hindustan Times that China abides by the LAC as proposed by then Premier Zhou Enlai to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in a letter dated November 7, 1959.

    Srivastava referred to various bilateral agreements including the 1993 agreement on maintenance of peace and tranquility along the LAC, 1996 pact on confidence building measures (CBMs) and the 2005 agreement on political parameters and guiding principles for settlement of the boundary issue, to emphasise that both sides showed commitment to reach a common understanding of the alignment of the LAC.

    “Therefore, the insistence now of the Chinese side that there is only one LAC is contrary to the solemn commitments made by China in these agreements,” he said, adding the Indian side has always respected and abided by the LAC.

    Referring to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s recent address to Parliament, Srivastava said it is the Chinese side which by its attempts to transgress the LAC in various parts of the Western Sector has tried to unilaterally alter the status quo.

    The MEA spokesperson also talked about repeated affirmation of the Chinese side in the last few months that the current situation in the border areas should be resolved in accordance with the agreements signed between the two countries.

    “In the agreement reached between External Affairs Minister and his Chinese counterpart on 10th September also, the Chinese side has reiterated its commitment to abide by all the existing agreements,” Srivastava said.

    “We therefore expect that the Chinese side will sincerely and faithfully abide by all agreements and understandings in their entirety and refrain from advancing an untenable unilateral interpretation of the LAC,” he added.

    (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

  • COVID-19 claims 18 more lives, J&K toll 1166

    Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir reported eighteen more covid-19 related deaths in last 24-hours, taking the fatality count to 1166.

    Among those who died include 11 from Jammu division—six from winter capital of J&K, three from Udhampur and one each from Rajouri and Ramban. Seven others died in Kashmir Valley—two each from Srinagar and Baramulla and one each from Budgam, Anantnag and Kupwara.

    Among others who died in Jammu include a 42-year-old man from Utrakhand, a 57-year-old man Mishriwale, a 59-year-old woman from Poloura Top Jammu and an 86-year-old man from Udhampur

    Among others who died in Valley include a 55-year-old man from Singpora Baramulla who died a week after he was admitted to SKIMS Soura.

    An 85-year-old woman from Nihalpora Pattan who was diagnosed with bilateral Community Acquired Pneumonia also died at the tertiary care hospital, they said.

    An 86-year-old man from Awoora Anantnag died at CD hospital, eight days after he was admitted to one of the exclusive facilities for the management of the covid-19 patients in the Valley, they said.

    A 60-year-old woman from Budgam, they said, died three days after she was admitted to SMHS hospital with bilateral pneumonia.

    With these deaths, officials said, 1166 people have succumbed to the virus in Jammu and Kashmir sofar—835 from the Valley and 331 from Jammu division.

    Srinagar district with 289 deaths tops the list followed by Jammu (180), Baramulla (124), Budgam (82), Pulwama (69), Anantnag (63), Kulgam (43), Kupwara (67), Bandipora(37), Shopian (32), Rajouri (31), Ganderbal (28), Doda (27), Kathua (21), Samba (20), Udhampur (18), Poonch (12), Ramban (10), Kishtwar(7) and Reasi (5). (GNS)

  • Kuwait monarch Sheikh Sabah Al-Sabah dies at 91

    The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, has died at the age of 91 after ruling the Gulf state for 14 years, officials announced Tuesday.

    Sabah has battled health issues in recent years and is widely respected for working to mediate conflict in the region. When a political rift led to an embargo of Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, Sabah tried unsuccessfully to broker a resolution.

    He also led donor conferences for Syria that led to pledges of hundreds of millions of dollars.

    “With sincere sadness, Kuwait, its people, the people of the Arab and Muslim world, and the people of the world offer their condolences for the death of Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, may God forgive him,” said Minister of Royal Court Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah on state TV.

    Sabah was born in 1929 around the time of the formation of the modern Kuwaiti state, and is a member of the country’s royal family. For 40 years, he served as foreign minister, later becoming prime minister before he was named the country’s monarch.

    On August 6, the Emir traveled to the United States for medical treatment after he underwent surgery that his office described as successful. Officials did not disclose his condition.

    Several countries and leaders paid tribute to Sabah following the news of his death.

    UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply moved” by the emir’s passing.

    Guterres said he was an extraordinary symbol of “wisdom and generosity,” a messenger of peace and a bridge builder.

    The Secretary-General added that Sabah was always in the “first line of mobilizing the international community in acts of solidarity with those in need.”

    “We wish only to mention the achievements of His Highness the late Emir who dedicated his life to bringing peace and stability to the region,” the US Embassy in Kuwait said in a tweet.

    In the region, Saudi Arabia’s King and Crown Prince also mourned the emir’s death in a statement, according to state media.

    “Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman received with great sadness and great sorrow the news of the death of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah,” Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

    Jordan has declared 40 days of mourning. “Today we lost a great brother and a wise leader who loves Jordan,” the Jordanian monarch, King Abdullah, tweeted. “(He) did not hesitate in his benevolent endeavors to make every effort to unite the Arab ranks.”

    A spokesman for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi also issued a statement eulogizing the Kuwaiti head of state and calling him “a great leader.”

    Lebanese President Michel Aoun also hailed the Emir as a “great brother to Lebanon, and an example of chivalry, moderation and wisdom.”

    With inputs from CNN

    (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

  • Two persons arrested in connection with Shopian fake encounter sent for 8 days judicial remand

    Srinagar: Two persons arrested in case of Ashmipora Shopian fake encounter were produced in District Court Shopian by police on Tuesday and has been sent for eight days judicial remand.

    Reports reaching to Kashmir News Service said that two persons has been sent for judicial remand in connection with the Ashmipora Shopian encounter in which three labourers from Rajouri were killed.

    Earlier army admitted that powers vested under AFSAPA had been exceeded. Police also said that DNA tests of the trio has been matched with slain Rajouri youths.

    Director General of Police (DGP) on Monday said that the investigations into the case of Amshipora Shopian encounter has entered in final stage.

    As per sources the two arrested persons connected to the case are local collaborators who have been detained by the police on the charges of “criminal conspiracy” under relevant sections in an FIR Number 42/2020. Both the arrested persons are going through further questioning to reveal the chain of events that led to cold-blooded murder of three missing labourers who were later dubed as militants. (KNS)

  • Police Books bridegroom for Using Firecrackers during his marriage in Srinagar

    Srinagar: In a unique incident Police booked a bridegroom for using firecrackers in Reck chowk area of Batamalo in Central Kashmir’s Srinagar district.

    A statement issued to GNS, the police said that today Police Station Batmaloo booked a Bridegroom for using Firecrackers during his marriage ceremony last night. Its worth mentioning here that it is prohibited to use Firecrackers within the territorial jurisdiction of District Srinagar. An order in this regard stands promulgated by the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar.

    During last night sound of Firecrackers was heard in Batmaloo. On inquiry it was found that the Firecrackers were being used during the marriage ceremony of Bilal Ahmad Shah son of Gh Mohiuddin Shah resident of Reck Chowk Batmaloo by his family and friends.

    The statement further states that In this regard case FIR 138/2020 u/s 188 IPC stands registered in the matter. Investigation of the case is in progress.

    Police urges people not to use firecrackers anywhere within the territorial jurisdiction of District Srinagar, reads the statement.(GNS)

  • How Long Can Mehbooba Mufti Be Detained, Supreme Court Asks J&K

    “How long can Mehbooba Mufti be kept in custody”, the Supreme Court asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration.

    New Delhi: “How long can Mehbooba Mufti be kept in custody”, the Supreme Court asked the centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration today as it heard her daughter’s petition challenging the former Chief Minister’s detention under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).

    Mehbooba Mufti, the chief of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been in detention for over a year after was arrested on the eve of the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and its bifurcation into two Union Territories on August 5 last year.

    The top court today gave two weeks’ time to the Jammu and Kashmir administration to give its stand on how long Ms Mufti can be kept in custody and whether her custody can be extended beyond one year.

    “What is the proposal of Jammu and Kashmir administration on her detention,” a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said during the hearing through video-conferencing.

    In July, Ms Mufti’s detention under the Public Safety Act was extended for another three months.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represents the government, asked judges not to make any observation and said Jammu and Kashmir has had a history of violence.

    “The history of the state is wonderful, but what one can one say. Prima facie you have exceeded the maximum period of detention,” Justice Kaul said.

    Iltija Mufti had approached the Supreme Court seeking her mother’s release. She also sought permission from the court for filing a habeas corpus, to produce Mehbooba Mufti in court. In her plea, Iltija Mufti says her mother’s detention is illegal and that the Jammu and Kashmir administration is yet to file its reply to her earlier petition despite a notice and this, she said, shows the respect the authorities have for the court.

    Former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, who too were detained under the Public Safety Act, have already been released.

    With inputs from NDTV

    (This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

  • Following Govt. decision to freeze it’s bank accounts; Amnesty International halts India operations

    It says freezing of accounts by the Centre is the latest in the “witch-hunt” of human rights organisations

    Amnesty International India on Tuesday said the government had frozen all its bank accounts, leading to all of its work in the country coming to a halt.

    “The complete freezing of Amnesty International India’s bank accounts by the Government of India which it came to know on September 10, 2020, brings all the work being done by the organisation to a grinding halt. The organisation has been compelled to let go of staff in India and pause all its ongoing campaign and research work,” a statement by the human rights organisation said.

    The freezing of accounts was the latest in the “witch-hunt” of human rights organisations, the statement said.

    “The continuing crackdown on Amnesty International India over the last two years and the complete freezing of bank accounts is not accidental. The constant harassment by government agencies including the Enforcement Directorate is a result of our unequivocal calls for transparency in the government, more recently for accountability of the Delhi Police and the Government of India regarding the grave human rights violations in Delhi riots and Jammu & Kashmir. For a movement that has done nothing but raise its voices against injustice, this latest attack is akin to freezing dissent,” Amnesty International India executive director Avinash Kumar said.

    Amnesty added that it had complied with all applicable international and Indian laws. For its work in India, it said it raised funds domestically and around 1 lakh Indians had contributed financially in the past eight years.

    “These contributions evidently cannot have any relation with the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. The fact that the Government is now portraying this lawful fundraising model as money-laundering is evidence that the overbroad legal framework is maliciously activated when human rights activists and groups challenge the government’s grave inactions and excesses,” the statement said.

    The release further said that Amnesty International India stood in full compliance with all applicable Indian and international laws and for human rights work in India, it operates through a “distinct model of raising funds domestically”.

    The release further states that “attacks” on Amnesty International India and other human rights organisations, activists and human rights defenders are “only an extension of the various repressive policies and sustained assault by the government on those who speak truth to power.”

    “Treating human rights organisations like criminal enterprises and dissenting individuals as criminals without any credible evidence is a deliberate attempt by the Enforcement Directorate and Government of India to stoke a climate of fear and dismantle the critical voices in India. It reeks of fear and repression, ignores the human cost to this crackdown particularly during a pandemic and violates people’s basic rights to freedom of speech and expression, assembly, and association guaranteed by the Indian Constitution and international human rights law,” said Mr. Kumar.

    With inputs from The Hindu

    (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

  • Pakistan Army’s heavy shelling along Poonch kills an Army personnel and two others, including an officer, injured

    The Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along LoC in Mankote sector

    PTI

    The Pakistan army violated ceasefire by resorting to heavy firing and mortar shelling in forward areas along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Tuesday, a defence spokesman said.

    The Indian Army retaliated befittingly, he said.

    “At about 0430 hours today, the Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along LoC in Mankote sector,” the spokesman said.

    The Pakistan army has violated the ceasefire 45 times this month.

    An Army personnel was killed and two others, including an officer, injured, as Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by using heavy fire and mortar shells along the Line of Control in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district a fortnight ago, officials said.

    On September 2, a JCO was killed in ceasefire violation by the Pakistan army along LoC in Keri sector of Rajouri.

    (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

  • A longest surviving wanted militant, active since 2015, killed: DGP Singh

    He took part in EDI Pampore attack in which eight CRPF men were killed

    A longest surviving wanted militant was among two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants killed in south Kashmir on Sunday, DGP Dilbagh Singh said on Monday.

    “The slain militant, Aijaz Ahmed Reshi, was the longest surviving militant commander of the LeT outfit. He was working as an over ground worker in 2015 and joined militancy before [slain militant commander] Burhan Wani,” he said at a press conference at the District Police Lines (DPL) in Awantipora, Pulwama.

    Describing Reshi a “dangerous militant”, DGP Singh said he carried out deadly attacks on security forces inflicting heavy casualties.

    “He took part in an attack at EDI Pampore in which eight CRPF men were killed. He had transported the Lashkar men to the spot. He had fired at the Army party killing three soldiers at Kadlabal, Pampore,” the DGP said.

    The police said Reshi had also recruited many youths into militancy like Towseef Khanday, Rafiq Dar and Adil Ahmed, all killed in separate encounters.

    Reshi was killed along with another local militant Sajad Ahmed Sofi. “Sofi was also recruited and trained by Reshi,” DGP Singh said.

    The police said the bodies would be sent to Baramulla for burial. “The nearest family members of the killed militants would be allowed to participate in the last rites,” the police said.

    DGP Singh said the “unfortunate” murder of advocate and TV analyst Babar Qadri was being investigated “at a very fast pace with good progress so far. The police would be able to crack the case very soon”.

    On the alleged staged encounter in south Kashmir’s Shopian on July 18, the DGP said the investigation has been taken up and is in the final stage.

    “The SSP, Shopian, is monitoring the investigation process and further details will be shared,” he said.

    The J&K police have also apprehended two militants affiliated to the LeT and The Resistance Front in Awantipora and Anantnag.

    “One arrested militant, Faisal Ahmad Dar, went missing on September 11 and uploaded his audio on social media on September 13 saying he joined the terrorist ranks. Another arrested militant, Talib Bhat, was recruited by TRF commander Abbas Sheikh of Kulgam and had released a video clip after joining the militant ranks,” the police said.

    Officials said unknown gunmen on Saturday evening had fired upon a youth in Shopian district.

    The officials identified the youth as Subzar Ahmad Naikoo. “He was seriously wounded in the attack at his home. Bullets hit him in the abdomen and leg,” the officials said.

    The injured civilian, an employee in the Rural Development department, died in the hospital in Srinagar, officials said.

    With inputs from The Hindu

    (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)