UN Spokesperson On Zubair’s Arrest

United Nations, Jun 28 (PTI): Journalists shouldn’t be jailed for what they write, tweet and say, a spokesperson for UN chief Antonio Guterres mentioned on Tuesday in response to the arrest of Alt Information co-founder Mohammed Zubair in India, asserting that it can be crucial that individuals be allowed to precise themselves freely with out the specter of any harassment.

Truth-checking web site Alt Information co-founder Zubair was arrested by the Delhi Police on Monday for allegedly hurting spiritual sentiments by way of certainly one of his tweets posted in 2018.

He was produced earlier than a Justice of the Peace, who despatched him to police custody for a day.

Responding to the journalist Zubair’s arrest, Spokesman for the Secretary-Normal Stephane Dujarric mentioned: “In anywhere around the globe, it is rather essential that individuals be allowed to precise themselves freely, journalists be allowed to precise themselves freely and with out the specter of any harassment”.

Dujarric was responding to a query on the each day information briefing right here on Zubair’s arrest.

“Journalists shouldn’t be jailed for what they write, what they tweet and what they are saying. And that goes for wherever on the earth, together with on this room,” Dujarric mentioned in response to a different query by a Pakistani journalist on whether or not he’s additionally calling on Zubair’s launch from custody.

Zubair’s arrest got here days after the Gujarat authorities arrested Teesta Setalvad on the costs of “legal conspiracy, forgery and inserting false proof in court docket to border harmless individuals” within the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The UN Human Rights company has voiced concern over the arrest and detention of social activist Setalvad and referred to as for her quick launch.

Setalvad was detained from her home in Juhu space of Mumbai on Saturday afternoon after an FIR was registered towards her on the Ahmedabad crime department based mostly on a grievance lodged by crime department inspector D B Barad. She was delivered to Ahmedabad by way of highway by the Gujarat police squad.

The Ahmedabad crime department on Sunday arrested Setalvad, a day after she was detained in Mumbai and shifted to Gujarat.

“#India: We’re very involved by the arrest and detention of #WHRD @TeestaSetalvad and two ex-police officers and name for his or her quick launch. They need to not be persecuted for his or her activism and solidarity with the victims of the 2002 #GujaratRiots,” UN Human Rights tweeted on Tuesday.

A court docket in Ahmedabad on Sunday remanded social activist Setalvad and former state director normal of police RB Sreekumar into police custody until July 2 in a case of fabricating proof to border harmless individuals in reference to the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Former IPS officer and accused Sanjiv Bhatt, who’s serving life sentence in a custodial demise case and is lodged in a jail in Palanpur in Banaskantha district, might be delivered to Ahmedabad on a switch warrant.

Setalvad, Sreekumar and Bhatt are accused of abusing the method of legislation by conspiring to manufacture proof with an try to border harmless individuals for an offence punishable with capital punishment in reference to the 2002 Gujarat riots.

An FIR was registered towards Setalvad, Sreekumar and Bhatt on Saturday, a day after the Supreme Courtroom dismissed a petition difficult the clear chit given by the SIT to the then chief minister Narendra Modi and others within the 2002 riots instances. PTI YAS MRJ MRJ

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