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Tag: protesters

  • Additional four protesters released as State withdraws charges

    Additional four protesters released as State withdraws charges

    The Accra Circuit Court has discharged four additional protesters from the Democracy Hub demonstrations after the state dropped charges against them.

    During the court session, the state prosecution informed the judge that new charges had been filed to replace the original ones leveled against the protesters on September 25.

    The individuals released from the case are Cedric Bansah, Emmanuel Offei, Nana Amo Mensah Prempeh, and Thomas Yeboah.

    With this recent decision, the number of protesters discharged now stands at 11, as the court continues to handle cases stemming from the Democracy Hub protests.

    A total of 53 individuals were arrested during the three-day protests, which spanned from September 21 to September 23. Earlier, on Tuesday, October 22, seven protesters were also discharged under similar circumstances.

  • 3-day demonstration to demand release of anti galamsey protesters starts today

    3-day demonstration to demand release of anti galamsey protesters starts today

    A three-day demonstration is scheduled to kick off today, Thursday, October 3, in Accra, as activists push for the immediate release of 53 Democracy Hub members who were detained during a recent protest against illegal mining.

    Set to last until October 5, the protest aims to raise awareness of the environmental devastation caused by galamsey, or illegal mining.

    The march will begin at Legon Okponglo and make its way to the Black Star Square, following a police-approved route.

    The procession will pass through several notable locations, including the Legon Stadium, Okponglo Traffic Light, Shiashie, Shangri-La, and Airport Traffic Light, before reaching key destinations such as the National Service Secretariat, Electoral Commission Office, Parliament House, and concluding at Independence Square.

    The protest, organised under the slogans “Free the Citizens” and “Say No to Galamsey,” has gained significant traction on social media, with a large turnout anticipated.

    Participants aim to spotlight both the detention of their fellow demonstrators and the ongoing struggle against illegal mining, which is causing severe environmental damage in Ghana.

    In response, the Ghana Police Service has cautioned that they will intervene and disperse the protest if there is any indication that it might disrupt public order or pose a threat to peace.

  • You’re the fearless warriors of today – Alan to Democracy Hub protesters

    You’re the fearless warriors of today – Alan to Democracy Hub protesters

    The presidential candidate for the Movement for Change (Afrafranto Alliance), Alan Kyerematen, has hailed the #StopGalamsey and #OccupyJulorbiHouse protesters, organized by Democracy Hub, as true heroes of Ghana.

    In his remarks to the press on Sunday, September 29, 2024, he praised the youth for their unwavering resolve amid significant economic hardships, noting the particular difficulties they face due to a lack of job opportunities.

    Kyerematen emphasized the dire consequences of galamsey (small-scale illegal mining) on Ghana’s major water bodies and forest reserves but assured the youth that there is hope for the future.

    “To the young people of Ghana, I’d like you to know, particularly those who have been arrested, that you are the heroes of our time. You have endured the pain of living through the hardest of times in our country with no jobs and no hope for the future.

    “But, do not be dismayed. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Furthermore, do not be intimidated or be haunted by fear, but be inspired by the challenge of success. I stand solidly behind you and will fight with you shoulder to shoulder, not only to deal aggressively with the challenge of galamsey, but equally importantly, to fight to create a peaceful, prosperous, just and united Ghana that will create a better and brighter future for all Ghanaians, particularly the young people,” he said.

    Alan Kyerematen has urgently called on the government to release the protesters who were arrested during the #StopGalamsey and #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstrations. He urged the Attorney General and Minister of Justice not to deny these individuals their right to bail.

    The protests, aimed at halting galamsey activities in the country and highlighting issues of poor governance and economic hardship, were cut short on the second day due to violent incidents.

    Protesters clashed with law enforcement, removing police blockades, burning party paraphernalia, and seizing keys from a police van to stop the towing of their food truck.

    As a result, some protesters have been charged with unlawful acts and breaching public peace, leading to a two-week remand in court.

  • Nigerian court charges ten protesters with treason

    Nigerian court charges ten protesters with treason

    Ten people involved in last month’s protests across Nigeria have been charged with treason and other serious offences at the federal high court in Abuja.

    All the accused entered not guilty pleas.

    The protests, known as the “10 days of rage,” erupted due to the harsh economic conditions, leading to violent clashes with security forces.

    The violence resulted in at least seven deaths, according to police, though rights groups report 23 fatalities.

    Additionally, nearly 700 people were arrested, and the accused face charges including the destruction of public property and injuring police officers.

    They were accused of working with a British citizen “to destabilise Nigeria by calling on the military to take over government from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” according to the charge sheet.

    They allegedly shouted, “Tinubu must go; it is soldiers we want.”

    Despite an appeal that the 10 accused should be bailed as they had already been held for a month, the court decided that they would remain in custody.

    Rights group Amnesty International earlier criticised the legal process and called the trial “a sham.”

    Last month, it called for investigations into the killings during the protests.
    Demonstrations in all major Nigerian cities began on 1 August with people chanting slogans such as “We are hungry” and “End bad governance.”

    The protests, organised through social media, were in part inspired by the success of demonstrators in Kenya who forced the government to scrap plans to increase taxes.

    In some parts of the country, curfews were imposed. The authorities said the protests had been “hijacked by thugs” who engaged in widespread looting and the destruction of property.

    Nigeria is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation. Annual inflation stands at more than 30%. Food prices have risen even faster—for example, in the commercial hub, Lagos, yams, a staple food, are almost four times more expensive than last year.

  • Protesters in Kitchener obstruct entrance to Colt Canada building

    Protesters in Kitchener obstruct entrance to Colt Canada building

    Workers at a gun-making company in Kitchener were met by people protesting as they tried to go to their job on Wednesday morning. A bunch of people stopped others from getting into the Colt Canada Corporation building on Wilson Avenue.

    People said the protest was part of a national push to ask the Canadian government to stop selling weapons to Israel right away, because of the fighting in Gaza.

    “We’ve been preventing people from getting into this Colt facility since this morning,” protestor Sasha Koegler told CTV News.

    “Some Colt employees have said that they work here and also support what we’re doing. They understand that it’s necessary.” Koegler said that people can still go to a nearby Rogers TV building and some homes past the blockage.

    “I think it was a good event. ” Many people have stopped by and are showing their support. They understand that this needs to happen.

    Earlier this month, the government said it might punish Israeli people living in the West Bank for hurting Palestinians.

    The Nicaraguan government wants to ask the International Court of Justice to decide if countries that give weapons to Israel are helping Israel do bad things. But the decision will only be made after the court makes a ruling on a case brought by South Africa. They say Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

    In 2022, Canada sold a lot of military goods to Israel.

    Global Affairs Canada said that the government has not sent weapons to Israel in a long time, but they do allow the export of military technology and non-lethal equipment.

    Earlier this month, Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly said that she would punish 10 people linked to Hamas and the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.

    I want to make sure you understand. Hamas is a group that does bad things, and they will be punished for their attacks, Joly said.

  • Farmers’ protest: Protesters against crop prices to resume their march in Delhi

    Farmers’ protest: Protesters against crop prices to resume their march in Delhi

    Dissenting Indian ranchers say they will continue walking to capital Delhi this week after dismissing a government proposition to purchase a few crops at guaranteed costs on a five-year contract.

    The dissidents started walking final week but were halted around 200km (125 miles) from Delhi.

    Since at that point, rancher pioneers were in talks with the government on their requests.

    But on Monday night, they said the offer was “not in their intrigued”.

    The government had proposed buying beats, maize and cotton at ensured floor costs – too known as Least Back Cost or MSP – through cooperatives for five a long time.

    But the agriculturists say that they will stand by their request of a “lawful ensure for MSP on all 23 crops”.

    “We request to the government to either resolve our issues or expel blockades and permit us to continue to Delhi to challenge calmly,” Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a cultivate union pioneer, told neighborhood media.

    They say they will continue walking from Wednesday.

    Ranchers frame an powerful voting alliance in India and and investigators say the government of Prime Serve Narendra Modi will be sharp not to outrage or distance them. His Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is looking for a third continuous term in control in common decisions this year.

    Final week, specialists clashed with the dissidents, terminating tear gas and plastic bullets at them in a offered to stop the walk. They fear a rehash of 2020, when thousands of agriculturists camped at Delhi’s borders for months, constraining the government to revoke disputable rural changes.

    The most recent circular of dissents started on Wednesday, when agriculturists from Haryana and Punjab begun walking to Delhi. They say the government did not keep guarantees made amid the 2020-21 challenge, conjointly have requests counting benefits and a obligation waiver.

    But their most important demand could be a law ensuring a bolster price for crops.

    India presented the MSP framework within the 1960s – to begin with for as it were wheat and afterward other fundamental crops – in a offered for nourishment security.

    Supporters of MSP say it is essential to secure agriculturists against misfortunes due to vacillation in costs. They contend that the coming about salary boost will permit ranchers to contribute in modern advances, move forward efficiency and ensure cultivators from being fleeced by middlemen.

    But faultfinders say the framework needs an update because it isn’t sustainable and will be deplorable for government funds. They moreover say that it’ll be ruinous for the agrarian division within the long run, driving to over-cultivation and capacity issues.

    Since final week, government minister Piyush Goyal and other government authorities had held four rounds of talks with the agriculturists. On Sunday, Mr Goyal told writers that the discourses had been “positive” which the government was concocting an”out-of-the-box” arrangement to advantage agriculturists, customers and the economy.

    But on Monday, rancher pioneers said they were disappointed with the way the talks were being held, claiming that there was no “straightforwardness”.

  • Protesters from Mexico gather in large numbers to protest vote modifications

    Protesters from Mexico gather in large numbers to protest vote modifications

    Many people have gathered in Mexico City to show they are against changes to the electoral authority before the presidential elections in June.

    The Mexico City government said about 90,000 people came to Zocalo Square in the city. The rally organizers said there were many more people than originally thought.

    The opposition says President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is trying to make the National Electoral Institute weaker. The Institute is a group that is independent and doesn’t support any political party.

    He says the INE is unfair and dishonest.

    Since he won the 2018 presidential elections, Mr. López Obrador has been trying to change the INE. He says it will save taxpayers $150m (£119m) a year by greatly reducing the agency’s workers.

    The protest on Sunday in the old square of the capital is the most recent protest in Mexico in the last few years.

    We want to protect our independent organizations and defend our democracy. We want the INE to be safe from attacks. “We want to make our own decisions, and we don’t want the president to interfere with the election,” said protester Diana Arnaiz according to AFP news agency.

    Maria de Jesus Torres, who was also at the rally, said: “There are many Mexican people who do not like this government, and I am protesting for my kids and grandkids. ”

    Mr López Obrador cannot run for president again because Mexican presidents can only serve for one six-year term.

    He is helping former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, who is currently ahead in the opinion polls.

    Ms Sheinbaum, who is part of the Morena party, officially joined the race by handing in her registration papers on Sunday.

  • ‘France takes us for fools’ – Nigerien protesters

    Niger, a country in West Africa, has a high number of deadly attacks by jihadist groups. After a takeover by the military in July, people are worried that if the order is given for 1,500 French soldiers to leave the country, it could make the rebels feel more confident and stronger.

    Mayeni Jones from the BBC was able to visit Niger and talk to the government, people who support it, and people who are against it.

    A brief gray line for presentation purposes.

    Adama Zourkaleini Maiga speaks quietly, but her eyes show strong determination.

    The single mother has two children and lives in a peaceful area of Niger’s capital city, Niamey. However, she comes from Tillabéry, a region that has been severely affected by violence.

    “She told me during lunch that my mom’s cousin was the leader of a village named Téra. ” “He was killed just seven months ago. ”

    The bad people were searching for him, and when they discovered that he had borrowed a car to escape, they caught him and ended his life. They cut his throat. Our whole family was really surprised.

    Adama holds France responsible for not being able to control the violence, even though they had 1,500 soldiers in the area to fight against Islamist militants.

    “She says that they are not able to say that the French army was victorious. ” “I don’t get how they can claim to be aiding people in fighting terrorism, but the problem keeps getting worse each year. ”

    Niger was considered the final Western friend in the Sahel, a mostly dry area that has become the main location of violent extremism. France and the United States both have military soldiers in Niger. Niger is also where the United States has its largest drone base.

    However, when France declined to acknowledge the new military government in Niger, the existing anger towards what the people saw as unwanted French involvement in their country’s affairs became intense.
    Many people in Niger think that France has had special access to the country’s leaders and natural resources for a long time. They view the coup as an opportunity to start fresh, regain control over their own country, and remove the influence of France.

    Adama says that the army in Niger has never remained in control for a long time. He is talking about the five times where the army took over the government since the country gained independence from France in 1960.

    “The military will eventually go back to their bases and give control to a more effective civilian government that will lead Niger to its future,” she says.

    People in France got very mad when they said no to Niger’s new leader. This got worse when the people in charge told their soldiers and ambassador to leave the country.

    French President Emmanuel Macron at first said no, but now he says he’s decided to say yes to the demands of the junta because the Nigerien authorities are not interested in fighting terrorism anymore.

    ‘France thinks we are stupid’

    Hundreds of people have been staying outside a military base in Niamey that has French soldiers. They have been there for many weeks and are preventing supplies from reaching the soldiers.

    The protesters gather and sit in prayer on Fridays. In the hot afternoon, Imam Abdoulaziz Abdoulaye Amadou tells the people to wait calmly.

    He tells the people that just like it takes time for a man and a woman to get a divorce, it will also take time for Niger to separate from France.

    After he finished speaking to the people, I asked him why the people of Niger are very mad at the French even though they worked closely together for many years.

    He says that Niger is the best partner for France in the entire Sahel region. France is not agreeing with what we want and that is causing tension.

    France had the option to leave without causing any trouble after the coup, and then returned later to have discussions with the people who staged the coup. Why is Emmanuel Macron currently saying that he does not acknowledge our authorities, when he has previously supported coups in other nations such as Gabon and Chad.

    “We are angry because of this, and we believe that France thinks we are foolish. ”
    During the prayers, there is a lot of noise and excitement because a large car with armed guards arrives.

    The recently chosen leader of Niamey, General Abdou Assoumane Harouna, commonly referred to as Plaquette, goes outside. He is a very tall man, measuring 6 feet 5 inches, and he is wearing clothes typically worn by soldiers and a green hat.

    As we try to talk to him for an interview, he points to my producer and says to everyone: “Some people claim that we don’t like white people, but that’s not true. We actually welcome them warmly. ”

    He says that the people in Niger want a country that is successful, proud and in control of its own decisions, and that those from other places should honor their desires. When I ask if the junta can make sure his country is safe from terrorists, he says that the Nigerien forces have always kept their people safe, and can continue to do so without any help from other countries.

    But people who don’t support the government are really worried that if French troops leave, it could be really bad for Niger and the surrounding area.

    Idrissa Waziri, who used to speak for the removed President Mohamed Bazoum, tells me through Zoom that France is an important ally in the battle against terrorists. They provide the majority of the information that helps us defeat the terrorists.

    The French leaving quickly has made safety in Mali and Burkina Faso worse. Nowadays, people are using France as a target to blame for all the issues we face, which causes protests on the streets.

    “France is not the issue, the current problem is the attempted coup in Niger, which is a big setback. ”
    Fahiraman Rodrigue Koné, who manages the Sahel project at the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa, says it is too soon to determine if France leaving will cause more insecurity in Niger and the Sahel region.

    In Mali, after foreign and UN troops left, there has been an increase in violence from both Islamist insurgents and rebel groups. But Mr Koné says the countries are very different from each other.

    He says that the French army helped the troops in Niger in a smaller way compared to how they helped the troops in Mali. The Nigerien army has had a lot of practice battling terrorist groups, particularly against Boko Haram in the eastern region.

    He says that the military of Niger is more spread out throughout their land than the military of Mali. In Mali, there were areas in the northern part of the country where the government and army were not present and terror groups took control of a significant amount of land.

    After Ecowas said it would invade Niger if President Bazoum was not returned, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger formed an alliance on September 16th.

    In the Sahel security alliance, the countries have agreed to support each other when there are fights against their governments and attacks from outside forces. Koné believes that this could make a significant difference in the situation.

    He said that one reason why terror groups could easily move from one place to another was because the three countries did not work together. These three countries have already worked together in two or three military operations. This increased team effort is making things very difficult for the rebels.

    He believes the alliance could share good ideas from Niger with the other two countries.

    According to the Global Terrorism Index, there was a 79% decrease in terror-related deaths in Niger last year. However, Mali and Burkina Faso, which are close by, experienced the highest number of terror attacks. Around 90% of the violence that happened last year in the Sahel region was connected to Islamist extremism, and it mainly occurred in two countries.

    Mr Koné says that the Bazoum administration was able to reduce deaths in Niger because they used a well-rounded approach. This approach included using military strategies, involving the community, and focusing on improving the socio-economic conditions.
    However, even though this process was somewhat successful, not everyone liked it. Some people in the military thought that it made the government seem weak on terrorists and that it encouraged lawlessness. We don’t know if the junta will keep going in the same direction.

    It’s difficult to know how many people in Niamey support President Bazoum.

    Many people are upset that he is very close with the French government, but we had a hard time finding any of his supporters or people against the decision to kick out France, who would talk to us on the record. Most people seemed really afraid of what might happen because of their actions.

    The junta watched the BBC team closely and knew what the people we interviewed were saying, and this wasn’t helpful.

    France leaving doesn’t automatically mean Niger won’t work with western countries anymore. There are soldiers from other countries, including the United States, who are still present in Niger.

    On Monday, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said in Kenya that his country hadn’t made any important changes to its military presence in Niger yet.

    However, he mentioned that they will keep looking at how things are going there and any actions they take in the future will focus on both their goals of supporting democracy and maintaining security.

    The Sahel is in the front line of the war on terror. The choices made by the ruling groups there will be very important for the spread of Islamist extremism to other nearby areas.

  • Pension reform protest in France turns violent again

    Pension reform protest in France turns violent again

    In central Paris, protesters and police have once more exchanged blows over the French government’s proposed pension reforms.

    Police fired tear gas to disperse the thousands of protesters who set fires and some of whom tossed firecrackers at them.

    Since President Emmanuel Macron chose to enact the divisive measures to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a vote, there have been two nights of disturbance.

    No-confidence motions have been filed against his government in response.

    The first was signed by independents and members of the left-wing Nupes coalition in parliament, while a second came from the far-right National Rally party.

    Both are expected to be debated early next week.

    Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally MPs in parliament, called the decision to push through the pension changes “a total failure for the government”.

    Police made dozens of arrests during the unrest at Place de la Concorde, not far from the parliament building.

    Protests also took place on Friday in other French cities – notably Bordeaux, Toulon and Strasbourg.

    “We won’t give up,” one demonstrator told AFP news agency. “There’s still hope that the reform can be revoked.”

    Another told Reuters that pushing the legislation through without a vote was “a denial of democracy… a total denial of what has been happening in the streets for several weeks”.

    The government has said the changes to pensions are essential to ensure the system is not overburdened and prevent it collapsing.

    But many people, including union members, disagree and France has now seen more than two months of heated political debate and strikes over the issue.

    Transport, public services and schools have all been affected, while a rolling walkout by waste collectors has seen thousands of tonnes of rubbish left on the streets of the capital.

    Fuel deliveries have also been blocked and there are plans to stop production at a large refinery in Normandy in the coming days.

    “Changing the government or prime minister will not put out this fire, only withdrawing the reform,” said the head of the moderate CFDT union, Laurent Berger.

    Source: BBC

  • Peru offers $13,000 to families who lost loved ones during protest

    According to a decree that was published by the official newspaper “El Peruano” on Tuesday, the government of Peru is providing families who lost a relative during the country’s protests between December 8 and February 10 with almost $13,000 in financial assistance.

    According to the ruling, the injured will receive half of this amount, or $6,500 US dollars (25,000 nuevos soles), while each family will receive around $13,000 US dollars (50,000 nuevos soles).

    The directive also states that the payments are not regarded as reparations but rather as financial assistance for civilians and police officers.

    Amnesty International criticized the government for not taking responsibility for the deaths in a statement.

    “Economic assistance to the people killed and injured is a duty by the State due to the families’ patrimonial affectation but does not exempt (the state) of the responsibility to look for truth, justice, and reparation for the victims for the abuse of their human rights,” it wrote on Twitter.

    As CNN first reported, Peruvian families have demanded reparations for deaths and injuries around the protests since former President Pedro Castillo was impeached and arrested in December. His removal from office sparked the demonstrations amid deep dissatisfaction over living conditions and inequality in the country.

    There has been at least 60 protest-related deaths, according to Peru’s Ombudsman’s office, including one police officer. Most of those deaths happened outside Lima. As of February 22, seven people died in Apurimac, ten in Ayacucho and twenty in Puno for example, according to the same organization.

    The government’s announcement comes after a preliminary report released by Amnesty International accused Peruvian authorities of acting with “a marked racist bias” in its crackdown on the protests last week.

    The human rights group also accused Peruvian security forces of using firearms with lethal ammunition “as one of their primary methods of dispersing demonstrations, even when there was no apparent risk to the lives of others” – a violation of international human rights standards.

    CNN reached out to the Ministry of Defense and Interior for comment on the Amnesty International report and the allegations of excessive use of force against protesters. The Ministry of Defense declined to comment and told CNN there is an ongoing investigation by Peru’s Prosecutor Office with which they are collaborating.

    A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry also declined to comment, highlighting the ongoing investigation by the prosecutor’s office.

  • Peru protests: High-level talks amid deepening crisis

    Authorities in Peru have held high-level talks to try to resolve a deepening political crisis triggered by the ousting of the former president.

    The Council of State, the body made up of representatives of all branches of power, and church leaders had a three-hour meeting in the capital, Lima.

    Earlier, two government ministers resigned, following days of violent protests over the impeachment of Pedro Castillo on 7 December.

    More than 20 people have been killed.

    After the meeting on Friday evening, the head of the National Board of Justice, José Ávila, called on Peruvians to avoid violence and engage in peaceful dialogue with the authorities.

    He said government ministers would be travelling to the areas where people were protesting, in order to promote such a dialogue.

    The new President, Dina Boluarte, gave no statement to the press.

    In another development, thousands of tourists are trapped in the south-eastern city of Cusco after protesters forced the local airport to close.

    Peru has been through years of political turmoil, with the latest crisis coming to a head when Mr Castillo announced he was dissolving Congress and introducing a state of emergency.

    However, his plan backfired and Congress instead voted overwhelmingly to impeach him. Mr Castillo, who is currently in detention, is being investigated on charges of rebellion and conspiracy.

    He denies all the accusation, insisting that is still the country’s legitimate president.

    Demonstrators are calling for the closure of Congress, the resignation of Ms Boluarte and early elections. On Friday, Congress voted against a proposal to bring elections forward to next year.

    Thursday’s clashes between the army and Castillo supporters in the central Ayacucho region left at least eight people dead, health authorities said. Footage on social media showed protestors blocking main roads and airports.

    Just hours later, Education Minister Patricia Correa said she was stepping down. In a Twitter post on Friday, she wrote that the “death of compatriots has no justification”, and that “state violence cannot be disproportionate and cause death”.

    Culture Minister Jair Perez also resigned.

    The protests are also affecting the country’s tourism industry. The mayor of Cusco told AFP news agency that about 5,000 tourists are stranded in the city after the airport there closed when protesters tried to storm the terminal.

    The city is the gateway to Macchu Picchu, an ancient Inca citadel which is visited by hundreds of thousands of people a year.

    About 800 tourists are also stuck in the small town at the foot of the mountain where the citadel stands, because the railway line which serves it has stopped running.

    Some mostly American and European tourists have reportedly left the town on foot along the train tracks in an attempt to return to Cusco.

    Source: BBC

  • Chad jails 260 pro-democracy protesters

    A court in Chad has handed jail terms of up to three years to more than 260 people who were arrested after deadly protests in October.

    The mass trial took place in a high-security prison in the desert. Defence lawyers boycotted proceedings, arguing that the trial itself was not legal.

    More than 400 people faced charges, including taking part in an unauthorised gathering and disturbing public order.

    Officials said about 50 people died during October’s nationwide pro-democracy protests – including 10 members of the security forces.

    Rights groups said more than 100 people were killed by security forces.

    Source: BBC

  • Iran refuse UN probe into  protests

    As he decried the UN enquiry, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman wore a gas mask, a reference to Germany’s alleged supply of chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq war.

    Iran has stated that it will not cooperate with a United Nations fact-finding mission investigating its response to ongoing anti-government demonstrations because the investigation is “political.”

    During a news conference on Monday, foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told reporters that Tehran will have “no form of cooperation with this political committee that has been framed as a fact-finding committee.”

    Last week, Iran announced it had formed a local fact-finding mission, comprised of representatives from the government, the judiciary, the parliament and others, to investigate “events, riots and unrest” during the past few weeks.

    According to Kanani, this constituted a “responsible” act by the Iranian state and refuted any need for a UN investigation.

    “[The UN investigation was] taking advantage of human rights mechanisms to exert political pressure on independent countries,” Kanani said.

    The UN Human Rights Council last week voted to establish a fact-finding mission to investigate potential abuses in Iran’s handling of anti-government demonstrations that have erupted across the country.

    The protests began after the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September, following her arrest by morality police for allegedly not adhering to the country’s mandatory dress code.

    Of the 47-member council, 25 voted in favour of a resolution that demands Tehran cooperate with the council’s special rapporteur on Iran, including by granting access to areas inside Iranian territory, such as locations where people have been arrested.

    There were 16 abstentions and six nations – Armenia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Pakistan and Venezuela – voted against the measure.

    The UN has said more than 300 people have died during the protests and nearly 14,000 arrested. Other human rights organisations have provided higher figures, but Iran has not released any official tallies, apart from saying that more than 50 security personnel have been killed.

    Several people have received preliminary death sentences for participating in “riots”, according to the Iranian judiciary, while an official said the Iranian Supreme Court has begun hearing appeals for those sentenced to execution.

    In the past two weeks, protests have been most intense in Iran’s Kurdish-majority northwestern provinces, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirming it is “strengthening” its presence there.

    The elite forces also renewed its missile and drone attacks in neighbouring Iraq’s northern regions last week, which it has threatened to continue if Kurdish groups [can we name them?] based there are not disarmed.

    New Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is expected in Tehran on Tuesday to meet with President Ebrahim Raisi and discuss the issue.

    Focus on Germany’s role

    Top Iranian officials have repeatedly accused the United States, Israel, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Saudi Arabia of being behind the country’s unrest.

    In the past few weeks, Iran has particularly ramped up its rhetoric against Germany, as the European power has expressed repeated support for the protests in Iran.

    Along with Iceland, Germany presented the formal call for the formation of the special UN council meeting on Iran that led to the passage of the resolution.

    Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday summoned the German ambassador to Tehran for the second time since the start of the protests to condemn “interventionist and baseless” remarks by German officials and to denounce the UN meeting.

    During his news conference on Monday, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman carried a black gas mask and held the session with the mask on his podium.

    It was meant as a reminder of the use of chemical weapons by Saddam Hussein during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

    Tehran has long accused Germany of supplying Hussein with chemical weapons. Kanani said up to 80 percent of the chemical weapons used during the war were supplied by German companies.

    In its blacklisting of European individuals and entities in response to European Union sanctions last month, Tehran imposed sanctions on two German companies that it said were responsible for “delivering chemical gases and weapons” to Iraq during the war.

     

  • Protesters respond to police with sarcasm

    In Beijing, protesters have reacted to police demands in a different way.

    They’ve acquiesced to a request for them to stop chanting “no more lockdowns” – and instead have taken to sarcastically demanding that they “want more lockdowns” and “Covid tests”.

     

    Source: BBC

  • Police and protesters in Tunisia clash over migrants missing since September

     

    Tunisian police used tear gas on hundreds of demonstrators on Friday as they clashed when protesters tried to reach the southern island of Djerba where the 18th Francophonie summit is due to take place.

    The crowds were trying to establish the fate of Tunisian migrants who have been missing for nearly two months.

    A makeshift boat carrying 18 Tunisian migrants en route to the Italian coast disappeared during the night of 20-21 September after leaving Zarzis in the south-east. Only eight bodies have since been found since.

    Police units were deployed at the entrance to Djerba, an island in southern Tunisia, to prevent the protesters, who came in dozens of cars and motorbikes, from entering.

    Ali Kenis is a fisherman from Zarzis and says he is determined to keep the protests going: “We will launch civil disobedience, and close all entry and exit points to Zarzis, and all public and private establishments, so we can isolate the city,” he says.

    Families and relatives of the missing migrants, supported by the inhabitants and fishermen of Zarzis, organised several demonstrations gathering thousands of people to push the authorities to intensify the search for those still missing.

    A general strike was held in the city on 18 October to demand an investigation into the sinking of the boat and the hasty burial of some of the bodies in a private cemetery (“Jardin d’Afrique”), usually reserved for sub-Saharan migrants.

     

    Source: African News

  • Iran unrest: Tehran court sentences first person to death over protest

    State media has reported that , an Iranian court has sentenced to death the first person arrested for participating in the country’s protests.

    The defendant, who was not named, was found guilty of “enmity against God” by the Revolutionary Court for setting fire to a government facility.

    Another court sentenced five people to prison terms ranging from five to ten years on national security and public order charges.

    A human rights organisation warned that authorities may be planning “hurried executions.”

    According to official reports, at least 20 people are currently facing charges punishable by death, according to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights.

    Its director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, called on the international community to take urgent action and “strongly warn the Islamic Republic of the consequences of executing protesters”.

    Protests against Iran’s clerical establishment erupted two months ago after the death in custody of a young woman detained by morality police for allegedly breaking the strict hijab rules.

    They are reported to have spread to 140 cities and towns and evolved into the most significant challenge to the Islamic Republic in over a decade.

    At least 326 protesters, including 43 children and 25 women, have been killed in a violent crackdown by security forces, according to Iran Human Rights.

    The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which is also based outside the country, has put the death toll at 339 and said another 15,300 protesters have detained. It has also reported the deaths of 39 security personnel.

    Iran’s leaders have portrayed the protests as “riots” instigated by the country’s foreign enemies.

    Last week, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei declared that “key perpetrators” should be identified as soon as possible and handed sentences that would have a deterrent effect on others.

    He warned that “rioters” could be charged with “moharebeh” (enmity against God), “efsad fil-arz” (corruption on Earth) and “baghy” (armed rebellion) – all of which can carry the death penalty in Iran’s Sharia-based legal system.

    Those possessing and using a weapon or firearm, disrupting national security, or killing someone could receive “qisas” (retaliation in kind), he said, apparently responding to a call for retributive justice from 272 of the 290 members of Iran’s parliament.

    More than 2,000 people have already been charged with participating in the “recent riots”, according to judiciary figures.

    On Sunday, local media cited judiciary officials as saying that 164 had been charged in the southern province of Hormozgan, another 276 in the central province of Markazi, and 316 in neighbouring Isfahan province.

  • Protests continue as Iran holds its first court sessions for alleged ‘rioters’

    Iranian officials criticise a United Nations rapporteur, while a large number of journalists demand the release of their detained colleagues.

    Protests in Iran that began last month in response to the death of a young woman in police custody have been documented in cities across the country this week, even as protesters’ first court hearings have been held and internet restrictions remain in place.

    More protests were seen on social media at universities, particularly in Tehran and Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan’s northwestern province, where Mahsa Amini, 22, was from. She died on September 16 after being detained by Iran’s morality police.

    Social media footage showed clashes breaking out on Sunday at Tehran’s Azad University between students and security forces, who fired tear gas.

    The demonstrations persisted after Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said on Saturday, “Today is the last day of the riots,” as he warned people “not to come to the streets”.

    An unknown number of protesting students was suspended from universities this week, reports on social media and foreign-based outlets said. It prompted their fellow students to demonstrate on Monday in their support, according to images on social media, which could not be independently verified.

    Meanwhile, a court in Tehran on Sunday held the first hearings for “rioters” accused, among other things, of intentionally killing police officers and burning public and government property. Several people are charged with “corruption on Earth” and “waging war against God”, which carry the death penalty.

    The Iranian judiciary said more than 1,000 indictments have been issued for people participating in “riots” across the country after a call this month by the judiciary chief to fast-track cases and hand out harsh sentences.

    Iranian media reported that one arrest was of Toomaj Salehi, a dissident rapper who had filmed himself participating in protests and regularly posted his opposition to the Iranian establishment on social media. His friends rejected reports that he was arrested in a border province while trying to flee the country. Salehi had been previously detained in September 2021 after releasing songs with lyrics decrying the establishment but was released on bail.

    ‘Let’s free the journalists’

    Amini died days after being detained by Iran’s morality police and taken to a “re-education centre” for allegedly not fully complying with the country’s mandatory dress code.

    Those arrested since the start of the protests include a slew of reporters and photojournalists. More than 500 local journalists have signed a statement that calls on authorities to release their colleagues. They say the detained journalists have been denied access to lawyers and charged prior to facing public trials and official submission of evidence.

    “Let’s not blind the eyes of the society,” said the statement on Sunday, which was carried on the front page of several newspapers. “Let’s free the journalists.”

    Its publication came two days after Iran’s intelligence community, in a rare joint report, accused two journalists – Niloufar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi – of covering Amini’s death after being trained abroad by the United States spy agency.

    Hamedi had reported on Amini’s death from a hospital in Tehran and posted an image of the woman’s parents holding each other. Mohammadi had travelled to Amini’s hometown of Saqqez to cover her funeral. The editors-in-chief of the two newspapers they work for have said the reporters were on assignment and only did their job.

    Dozens of people are thought to have been killed during the protests and many more injured, but Iranian authorities have yet to release an official tally. Dozens of members of the security forces have also been killed. Several of them died this week, according to authorities, who release their names and hold state funerals for them.

    Speaking with the family of a security officer killed in Tehran, President Ebrahim Raisi promised, “We will under no circumstances allow the enemy’s designs for harming our security.”

    Top Iranian authorities, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have accused the United States and Israel of being behind the unrest.

    Some officials have signalled that they are open to reforms as a result of the protests, provided protests are differentiated from “riots” and efforts to “overthrow the establishment”.

    “The country’s political establishment is a definitive platform for any type of reforms and changes to secure popular interests, and some of this change consists of reforms in governance within the framework of the Islamic Republic’s political establishment that must lead to new governance,” Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.

     

    Foreign tensions rising

    The persistent protests and lingering internet restrictions have put the Iranian state at odds with a number of other countries and officials.

    The US and Albania are preparing to hold an informal meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday to discuss what Washington has called “brutal suppression” of the protests.

    Speaking to reporters on Monday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani criticised Javaid Rehman, the special UN rapporteur on human rights in Iran, for a “deeply anti-Iranian approach” and for agreeing to participate in the Security Council meeting, which Tehran considers to be politically motivated.

    “Unfortunately, human rights have become a tool for pursuing the political goals of some countries, especially the US,” Rehman said.

    On Sunday, a group of prominent women from 14 countries – including Nobel laureates Malala Yousefzai and Nadia Murad, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former US first lady Michelle Obama – published an open letter calling for Iran’s immediate expulsion from the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

    German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the European Union was examining whether to classify the Revolutionary Guard as a “terrorist” organisation for its response to the protests, something the Iranian foreign ministry on Monday called “illegal”. The US already designated the elite force as a “terrorist” group in 2019.

    Tehran has responded to human rights sanctions by the US, EU the United Kingdom, and Canada with sanctions of its own and has said new measures on US and Canadian officials and entities would be imposed.

    Iran this week blocked a host of services by Google, including its maps and Android apps store after the store flagged a major state-backed application as being unsafe because of suspicions of “spying” on users’ data. Authorities denounced Google’s move as being politically motivated.

    State-affiliated media showed footage of “large numbers of students and professors” who were reported to be taking part in demonstrations denouncing a “terrorist” attack on a major Shia religious shrine in Shiraz last week. It killed 15 people and wounded dozens.

    Authorities organised rallies in the southern city and elsewhere to denounce the attack. Top Iranian officials have linked the attack to “riots” and pledged to take revenge as a website linked with ISIL (ISIS) claimed responsibility.

     

     

  • Mahsa Amini protests: Iran and US set for UN confrontation

    A rare Iranian joint intelligence report reveals that the arrested journalists who reported on Mahsa Amini’s death were trained abroad by the US.

    Tehran and Washington are clashing again over weeks-long protests in Iran, as the US prepares to convene the United Nations Security Council to discuss the unrest sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police last month.

    According to Reuters and Iranian state media, the US and Albania, another major critic of the Iranian government, will hold an informal UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday.

    Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi and Iranian-born actress and activist Nazanin Boniadi – whom the Iranian state considers to be anti-establishment – will speak at the meeting, along with UN investigator on human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, according to Reuters. Other UN member states and rights groups can reportedly attend the meeting as well.

    But while the outlet cited a note outlining the event as saying the meeting will “highlight the ongoing repression of women and girls and members of religious and ethnic groups in Iran”, Tehran has offered a different account.

    The Iranian government’s website, IRNA, on Saturday, cited unnamed “diplomatic sources” as saying Washington is organising the meeting in response to a rare joint report by the Iranian intelligence ministry and the intelligence division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) late on Friday that blamed the US as the main culprit behind the protests.

    “Instead of responding to the points raised in the Iranian intelligence community, the US is fleeing forward and exhibiting selective support for human rights with specific political goals,” the source was quoted as saying.

    Iran’s mission to the UN made the same point in a statement referring to the US as the “prime suspect of the riots” in Iran.

    “The US and its allies have consistently taken advantage of such a platform (the UN) to advance their political agendas, even at the expense of violating international rules and the UN Charter,” it said, accusing Washington of double standards in supporting Iranians.

    Women and ethnic Kurd and Baluch populations have featured prominently in the protests.

    The commander of the elite IRGC warned protesters on Saturday against taking to the streets. “Do not come to the streets! Today is the last day of the riots,” Hossein Salami said, according to Reuters.

    Iran’s top authorities, including Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei, have publicly blamed the US, Israel and others as being the orchestrators of unrest across the country, during which many dozens are thought to have been killed, with more injured or arrested.

    UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Friday voiced concern and urged the Iranian authorities to address the “legitimate grievances of the population” while condemning “all incidents that have resulted in death or serious injury to protesters”.

    What’s in the Iranian intelligence report?

    The lengthy joint intelligence report that Tehran claims has motivated the upcoming UNSC meeting paints a picture of accounts that inform Iranian authorities’ stance on the protests.

    According to the report, the US and some of its allies had planned – and delayed – unrest similar to what is happening across Iran right now for a long time, and had designs for different stages prior to, during, and following such unrest.

    The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been at the forefront of the US efforts and has been aided by the intelligence services of Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and other countries, it asserted, citing “completely credible” information.

    The Iranian intelligence community claimed the US has spent billions of dollars over the years to create a network of sympathetic organisations and individuals, holding many gatherings and courses to teach “hybrid wars and soft overthrow” of the Iranian establishment.

    These all-paid courses, it said, have been held in Italy, South Africa, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates among others, with or without the knowledge of those countries’ governments.

    The report uses the initials of two female Iranian journalists, whom it says were “trained by the courses of the US mafia regime in foreign countries” and “played the role of being the first sources to manufacture news for foreign media” on developments concerning Amini that led to the protests.

    The reporters accused by Iranian intelligence are Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi, who were arrested shortly after protests broke out last month and remain imprisoned in Evin prison in Tehran. Hamedi was among the first to report on Amini’s death at the hospital, while Mohammadi travelled to Amini’s hometown of Saqqez to report on her funeral.

    The intelligence report also alleges that CIA officials met with Kurdish separatist groups in neighbouring Iraq’s northern Erbil region in late September to ask them to amplify their role in Iran’s unrest. The IRGC in late September and early October repeatedly pounded positions in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region to punish the “terrorist groups” it said were based there.

    Foreign-based Persian-language television channels, which Tehran blacklisted this week, and social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, which have been banned, were also featured in the intelligence report as being influenced and manipulated by Washington in its efforts to counter the Iranian state.

     

     

  • Angry motorists drive Just Stop Oil protesters off London streets

    On Saturday, angry motorists removed Just Stop Oil protesters from central London’s blocked roads.

    Campaigners gathered in Charing Cross Road, Kensington High Street, Harleyford Street, and Blackfriars Road, demanding that the government halt the issuance of new oil licences.

    Drivers abandoned their vehicles in Harleyford Street to remove demonstrators, who returned repeatedly to reclaim their positions on the road.

    Met Police said 33 protesters were arrested and the roads later reopened.

    One motorist said during the protest: “We’ve asked you nicely, you are doing the wrong thing by blocking innocent people going about their business.

    “Can you please move before we pick you up and move you?

    “You are stopping the wrong people, I’ve got to go pick my kids up, I’ve got to get my lorry back to work. We can’t help you, go to Westminster.”

    Just Stop Oil protesters in central London
    IMAGE SOURCE, REUTERS Image caption, Just Stop Oil protesters blocked four roads in central London

    Labour councillor Theresa Norton, 64, from Scarborough, attended to support the protest, saying: “Half an hour’s disruption is not a massive sacrifice.

    “It’s these people that are making the biggest sacrifice. They’ll be arrested, go to a police cell, go to court on Monday.”

    Just Stop Oil said the blockages follow four weeks of civil resistance, during which the police have made 626 arrests.

    Protester arrested by police
    IMAGE SOURCE, REUTERS Image caption, Police made 33 arrests on Saturday

    Speaking after the protest, Met Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said Just Stop Oil protests had “caused a significant amount of disruption and frustration among the public in London”.

    He added: “We will always provide a proportionate policing response to protest and try to work with organisers so that protests can go ahead safely.

    “However, the public rightly expects us to respond quickly and effectively where protest crosses the line into criminality.”

     

  • Iran protests: Clashes after crowds gather at Mahsa Amini’s grave

    Clashes have been reported in Mahsa Amini’s hometown between Iranian security forces and protesters after crowds gathered near her grave to mark 40 days since her death in custody.

    Security personnel in Saqqez’s Zindan Square fired live rounds and tear gas, according to a Kurdish rights group.

    The semi-official news agency Isna reported a clash on the city’s outskirts.

    Earlier, thousands of mourners at the Aichi cemetery shouted “Woman, life, freedom” and “Death to the dictator”.

    They are two of the signature chants of the anti-government unrest that has swept across Iran since Ms Amini died.

    The 22-year-old Kurdish woman was detained by the morality police in the capital, Tehran, on 13 September for allegedly wearing her hijab “improperly”.

    She fell into a coma after collapsing at a detention centre and died three days later. There were reports that officers beat her on the head with a baton and banged her head against a vehicle, but the police denied that she was mistreated and said she suffered a heart attack.

    Many Iranians were enraged and the first protests took place after Ms Amini’s funeral in Saqqez, when women ripped off their headscarves in solidarity. The protests spread quickly and evolved into one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution.

    Women have been at the forefront, defiantly waving their headscarves in the air, setting them on fire, and even cutting their hair in public.

    Schoolgirls have also been demonstrating in playgrounds and on the streets in an unprecedented show of support.

    Norway-based Iran Human Rights says at least 234 protesters, including 29 children, have been killed by security forces in a violent crackdown on what Iran’s leaders have portrayed as “riots” fomented by foreign enemies.

    Riot police and members of the paramilitary Basij Resistance Force were reportedly deployed in large numbers in Saqqez and other parts of Kurdistan province on Wednesday, in anticipation of fresh unrest on the 40th day of mourning for Ms Amini – a culturally significant occasion for Iranians.

    However, videos showed thousands of residents walking along a highway and through a field – apparently to bypass roadblocks – to reach the Aichi cemetery.

    “They tried to stop us from entering the cemetery… but I managed to get in,” Reuters news agency quoted a witness as saying.

    Kurdish human rights group Hengaw, which is also based in Norway, posted several videos that it said showed a large crowd shouting “Down with traitors” and “Kurdistan, Kurdistan, the fascists’ graveyard”.

    In another clip, men and women were seen waving scarves and shouting “Freedom, freedom, freedom”.

    It was not clear whether members of Ms Amini’s family were at the cemetery. Activists said security forces had warned them not to hold a mourning ceremony and had threatened the safety of their son.

    State news agency Irna, meanwhile, cited what it claimed was a statement from the family saying that they would not hold an event in order to avoid “unfortunate issues”. But a source close to the family told the BBC they had written no such message.

    Kurdistan Governor Esmail Zarei Koosha said the situation in Saqqez was calm on Wednesday morning and denied that roads had been shut.

    “The enemy and its media… are trying to use the 40-day anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death as a pretext to cause new tensions, but fortunately, the situation in the province is completely stable,” he was quoted as saying by Irna.

    Later, Hengaw posted videos it said showed a crowd of protesters walking towards the governorate’s office in Saqqez and clashes between protesters and security forces in the Qukh neighbourhood.

     

    Isna reported that “a limited number of those present at Mahsa Amini’s memorial clashed with police forces on the outskirts of Saqqez and were dispersed”. It added that the local internet service was cut off “due to security conditions”.

    Hengaw also reported protests in the nearby cities of Sanandaj and Mahabad as well as general strikes in cities and towns across Kurdistan.

    Authorities closed all schools and universities in the province “because of a wave of influenza”, according to state media.

    Opposition activist collective 1500tasvir said protests were also held on Wednesday at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, as well as at universities in Tehran, the north-eastern city of Mashhad, and in Ahvaz, in the southwest.

    Video also appeared to show that security forces fired tear gas inside Amirabad girls’ school in Tehran in response to a protest by students.

     

  • End Sars protesters still locked up – Amnesty

    Campaign group Amnesty International says more than 40 protesters arrested during the anti-police brutality demonstrations in Nigeria two years ago are still locked up in various prisons across the country.

    In a statement marking the second anniversary of the protests on Thursday, Amnesty says panels set up by the authorities to investigate rights abuses by the police have “failed to deliver justice to hundreds of victims”.

    While dozens are “still languishing” in prisons, some of the arrested protesters said they were tortured while in detention and released without charge, Amnesty says.

    Human rights violations by police officers have continued in the country after the End Sars protests, the rights group continued.

    The protests in October 2020 swept through Nigeria, with security forces opening fire on protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in the country’s commercial hub, Lagos.

    Amnesty said the Nigerian army killed at least 12 people at Lekki toll Gate and in the Alausa district.

    The Nigerian authorities have repeatedly denied claims that security forces had perpetrated a “massacre”.

    The protests forced the government to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian police (Sars) – which was the catalyst for the demonstrations.

    Its officers were accused of gross human rights violations including torture, illegal detention and extortion.

    The reports of several committees set up by state authorities to investigate allegations of brutality by the police have yet to be implemented.

    But some victims of police brutality had been given compensation following investigations by a panel set up by the National Human Rights Commission – while several senior officers had been recommended for dismissal and prosecution.

    Source: BBC

  • Spate of shootings: Police fear serial killer may be on loose in California

    Police investigating five fatal shootings in California believe a serial killer might be on the loose in the state.

    Detectives released a grainy image of a “person of interest” after the latest killing shortly before 2 am on Tuesday.

    The surveillance footage image shows an individual from behind who is dressed all in black, with a black hat.

    Stockton Police have said they could be a suspect or a witness.

    Rewards totalling $85,000 (£76,000) are being offered for information leading to an arrest after the shootings.

    Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden said the latest victim was a 54-year-old man, who was shot dead in a residential area.

    He was the fifth man fatally shot since 8 July within a radius of a few square miles in Stockton.

    A top Iranian official has urged security forces to deal with protesters harshly as videos emerged of people running down a street while gunfire rang out.

    Some of the most serious protests in the country for years have been taking place over the past two weeks following the death of Mahsa Amini.

    A top Iranian official has urged security forces to deal with protesters harshly as videos emerged of people running down a street while gunfire rang out.

    Some of the most serious protests in the country for years have been taking place over the past two weeks following the death of Mahsa Amini.

  • Iran protests: Death toll rises to 76 as crackdown intensifies – Rights group

    At least 76 protesters have been killed by Iranian security forces during 11 days of unrest sparked by the death of a woman in custody, activists say.

    Iran Human Rights (IHR), a Norway-based organisation, accused authorities of using disproportionate force and live ammunition to suppress the dissent.

    State media have put the number of dead at 41, including several security personnel, and blamed “rioters”. Hundreds of people have also been arrested, 20 of them journalists. “The risk of torture and ill-treatment of protesters is serious and the use of live ammunition against protesters is an international crime,” said.

    IHR’s director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam. “The world must defend the Iranian people’s demands for their fundamental rights.” The UN human rights office also said it was very concerned by the authorities’ violent response and urged them to respect the right to protest peacefully.

    How Mahsa Amini became a symbol of defiance in Iran The anti-government demonstrations have spread to more than 80 cities and towns across Iran since the funeral of Mahsa Amini on 17 September.

    The 22-year-old Kurdish woman from the north-western city of Saqez had been visiting the capital, Tehran, on 13 September when she was arrested by morality police officers for allegedly violating the strict law requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab, or headscarf.

    She collapsed after being taken to a detention centre to be “educated” and died in hospital following three days in a coma. The police said Ms Amini died after suffering sudden heart failure, but her family have dismissed that and
    alleged that she was beaten by officers.

    Iranian morality officer: Why we tell women what to wear the protests against the morality police and hijab law triggered by her death quickly evolved into the most serious challenge that Iran’s Shia Muslim clerical establishment has faced in years.

    Videos posted on social media have shown women defiantly burning their headscarves on bonfires and cutting their hair in public to cheers and chants of “Women, life, freedom” and “Death to the dictator” – a reference to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

    On Monday, protests were reported in Tehran and a number of other cities, including Yazd, in the centre of the country, and

    Tabriz and Sanandaj, in the north- west. Students and teachers at more than 20 universities also staged a strike and walked out of their classrooms.

    1px transparent line Iran Human Rights said it had recorded the deaths of 76 protesters across 14 provinces as of Monday, including six women and four children, although it warned that restrictions on the internet were causing delays in reporting.

    Thirty-five of the deaths were reported in Mazandaran and Gilan provinces, north of Tehran, and 24 in the Kurdish-populated, north-western provinces of West Azerbaijan, Kermanshah, Kurdistan and Ilam, it added.

    IHR said that videos and death certificates it had obtained confirmed that live ammunition was being fired directly by security forces at protesters – something Iranian authorities have denied.

    Iranian officials have also announced the arrests of more than 1,200 people. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists demanded the release of at least 20 reporters and bloggers who had been detained, as well as human rights defenders, lawyers and civil society activists.

    “Iranian security forces must drop their repressive measures against the journalists telling this critical story and restore the internet access that is vital to keep the public informed,” the CPJ said.

    The BBC’s Kasra Naji says there are reports that the unrest has stretched the security forces to the limit, with the head of the judiciary seen in one video saying that riot police had been deployed “24 hours a day” and that “they did not sleep last night and the nights before”.

    There are also claims of serious doubts among security personnel about engaging with the protesters, our correspondent adds.

    The commander of the riot police in the capital was filmed telling his men not to hesitate and to fight the protesters, just as Iranians fought invading Iraqi forces in the 1980s.

    President Ebrahim Raisi has meanwhile spoken of the need
    to “take decisive action against opponents of the security and peace of the country”.

     

  • Concerning the legal aid fund, Cardinal Zen and activists are in court in Hong Kong

    An ex-bishop of Hong Kong who is 90 years old has been accused of fraudulently registering a support fund for protesters who were detained in 2019.

    A 90-year-old Catholic cardinal and five others have gone on trial in Hong Kong for allegedly failing to register a now-defunct fund to help provide legal aid to people arrested in the 2019 pro-democracy protests.

    Cardinal Joseph Zen, the retired bishop of Hong Kong, was arrested in May together with others including singer Denise Ho and barrister Margaret Ng under the national security law.

    They have since been charged for failing to properly register the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund and appeared in court on Monday.

    Zen, together with Ho, Ng as well as cultural studies scholar Hui Po Keung and former legislator Cyd Ho, were trustees of the fund. A sixth defendant, Sze Ching-wee, was the fund’s secretary.

    All have pleaded not guilty.

    None of the defendants spoke to reporters on their way into West Kowloon court on Monday morning.

    If convicted they face a fine of up to 10,000 Hong Kong dollars ($1,274) but no jail time.

    “Colluding with foreign forces”, the security law offense for which they were originally arrested, carries a potential life term.

    The 612 funds helped pay medical and legal fees for arrested protesters during the 2019 protests but were wound up last year after the national security police demanded information on its operations including its donors and beneficiaries.

    The Societies Ordinance requires local organizations to register or apply for an exemption within a month of their establishment.

  • Protests in Turkey over brutal murder of young woman

    The brutal murder of yet another Turkish woman has triggered widespread outrage in the country, with many taking to the streets and social media to express their anger.

    University student, Pinar Gultekin, 27, was killed in the Aegean province of Mugla. She was reported missing last week and was found dead in the woods on Tuesday.

    According to autopsy results, Gultekin was strangled and her body placed in a barrel, which was then burned and had concrete poured on it.

    Her former partner Cemal Metin Avci, a bar manager in the resort town of Akyaka, has been arrested for the murder. Police said he confessed to the killing during questioning, according to local media.

    On Tuesday, several groups protested across Turkish cities, including the largest city of Istanbul, against the rising violence inflicted upon women in the country.

    More protests are expected as anger over the killing continues on social media, with users calling for further action by the authorities.

    Femicides have doubled since 2012

    According to We Will Stop Femicides Platform, a rights group that monitors violence against women, at least 474 women were murdered in 2019, most of them by current or former partners, family members, or unrelated males who wanted a relationship with them.

    Turkey was the first country to ratify a 2011 Council of Europe accord, named the Istanbul Convention, on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. Turkey also adopted a law in 2012 to prevent violence against women.

    However, the number of murdered women has more than doubled since then, with rights groups blaming the trend on the government’s failure to implement the convention and laws.

    A conservative section within Turkish media and social groups has been lobbying for Ankara to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, arguing it has a negative influence on Turkish family values.

    Speaking at an Istanbul rally calling for an end to violence against women, Fidan Ataselim, general secretary of We Will Stop Femicides Platform, said their protests will continue until the authorities hear their voices.

    “We are carrying banners for a woman we do not know. It is enough now. We want to live,” she said on Tuesday, demanding that the government implement the Istanbul Convention better.

    “The solution is clear. Open and read the Istanbul Convention,” added Ataselim.

    “The sadness of our daughter Pinar Gultekin, who was murdered in Mugla, has pierced through our hearts. Another life has been lost,” Zehra Zumrut Selcuk, Turkey’s minister of family, labour and social services, said in a tweet.

    She added the government would “intervene in the case to follow the judicial process so that the murderer will get the hardest possible sentence”.

    Anger on social media

    Meanwhile, social media users continued to voice their anger over the murder, using the hashtag #pinargultekin.

    Gozde Aydin tweeted: “We want justice for all the girls, daughters, sisters, mothers that are being brutally murdered every single day in Turkey!!”

    Another user Rengul Selma said the number of women murdered in Turkey was far more than reported.

    “The latest femicide once again proves how hard it is to live in Turkey as a woman. How many more femicides do we need to hear of?” she tweeted.

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • George Floyd death: Protesters tear down slave trader statue

    A slave trader’s statue in Bristol has been torn down and thrown into the harbour during a second day of anti-racism protests across the UK.

    It comes after largely peaceful demonstrations in London on Saturday ended in some clashes with police.

    Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick urged protesters to find another way to make their views heard.

    But thousands of protesters massed for a second day outside the US embassy in London before moving towards Whitehall.

    Other protests have been taking place in Manchester, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

    In Bristol, protesters used ropes to pull down the bronze statue of Edward Colston, a prominent 17th Century slave trader, who has been a source of controversy in the city for many years.

    Colston was a member of the Royal African Company, which transported about 80,000 men, women and children from Africa to the Americas.

    On his death in 1721, he bequeathed his wealth to charities and his legacy can still be seen on Bristol’s streets, memorials and buildings.

    After the statue was toppled, a protester posed with his knee on the figure’s neck – reminiscent of the video showing George Floyd, the black man who died while being restrained by a Minnesota police officer.

    The statue was later dragged through the streets of Bristol and thrown into the harbour. The empty plinth was used as a makeshift stage for protesters.

    Home Secretary Priti Patel called the tearing down of the statue “utterly disgraceful”, adding that “it speaks to the acts of public disorder that have become a distraction from the cause people are protesting about”.

    “It’s right the police follow up and make sure that justice is undertaken with those individuals that are responsible for such disorderly and lawless behaviour,” she said.

    In a statement, Avon & Somerset police confirmed there would be an investigation into the “act of criminal damage”.

    Historian Prof David Olusoga told BBC News that the statue should have been taken down long before.

    He said: “Statues are about saying ‘This was a great man who did great things.’ That is not true, he [Colston] was a slave trader and a murderer.”

    ‘Proud of young people’

    Aerial footage in London showed thousands more protesters flooding the roads outside the US embassy in Vauxhall, south London before marching towards Parliament Square and Downing Street.

    They appeared to be ignoring warnings from both the police commissioner and Health Secretary Matt Hancock not to congregate and risk spreading the coronavirus.

    But free masks, gloves and hand gel were being handed out by volunteers.

    Labour’s Lisa Nandy backed the demonstrations, saying people “cannot be silent in the face of racism”.

    The shadow foreign secretary said young people were “right to raise their voices” but urged demonstrators to take precautions and socially distance amid fears that the mass gatherings could prompt another spike in coronavirus cases.

    Ms Nandy told the BBC’s Andrew Marr she was “proud” of young people demanding change following mass anti-racism protests across the UK on Saturday.

    “I think it’s one of the most important things about living in a free society is that people can go out and protest,” she said.

    Officers injured

    While protests across the UK on Saturday were largely peaceful, some clashes broke out between police and people gathered near Downing Street in the evening.

    Missiles and fireworks were aimed at police and bikes were also thrown by some demonstrators.

    The Metropolitan Police said 14 officers were injured, including a mounted officer who came off a horse as it bolted down Whitehall, with a further 13 hurt during demonstrations earlier in the week.

    Dame Cressida said she was “appalled” by the scenes of unrest on Saturday night, which led to 14 arrests.

    In a statement on Sunday, she added: “There is no place for violence in our city. Officers displayed extreme patience and professionalism throughout a long and difficult day, and I thank them for that.

    “I would urge protesters to please find another way to make your views heard which does not involve coming out on the streets of London, risking yourself, your families and officers as we continue to face this deadly virus.”

    Ms Patel condemned the actions of those involved and said there was “no excuse for violent behaviour”.

    “These protests should stop, they should not go ahead and people must be mindful and stick with the rules that have been put in place.

    “We have guidelines that basically say it is illegal for gatherings of more than six people to get together…. It is not in the interest of public health and it is certainly not going to assist the NHS or protect lives.”

    Prof John Edmunds, an member of the government’s scientific advisory group, Sage, said – even with reduced transmission outdoors – the large numbers protesting increased the risk of spread.

    “If you have a crowd of a few thousand people you would expect some of those people to be infectious,” he said.

    “And we know that the infection can be passed on by people who don’t have symptoms.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Drake donates $100,000 to National Bailout Fund to aid arrested protesters

    Drake is donating to relief efforts that will aid those who have been arrested while protesting the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn. last week.

    On Monday (June 1), Drake posted a screenshot of a rather large donation. The 6 God gave $100,000 to the National Bail Out fund, which is “an organization built on reuniting families, creating a national community of leaders who have experienced incarceration, and working with groups across the country to transform harmful systems to keep people safe and free,” according to the organization’s website.

    Drizzy shared a screenshot on his IG story, showing a copy of his six-digit receipt, which read, “@mustafathepoet say less.” Drake’s donation is a response to Mustafa the Poet’s $400 contribution to help protesters demanding justice for George Floyd, who died after former Minneapolis Police Department officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly 10 minutes on May 25.

    “My Toronto kings @champagnepapi and @theweeknd Swipe up and match my donation. But add three zeros! Let’s help reunite black families,” Mustafa wrote in an Instagram story post.

    Drake is among several rappers who have donated to bailout funds during this time, including Noname, Aminé, Tierra Whack, 6lack and more. Members of the hip-hop community have been seen at a number of protests across the country over the weekend, too. Nick Cannon, Swae Lee, Lil Tjay and J. Cole were all spotted attending the protests to help raise awareness for the unjust killings of Black people at the hands of police officers.

    Rappers have also been using their platforms to speak about their outrage and aid in change. Jay-Z vocalized his concerns to the Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Sunday (May 31) about how George Floyd’s murder case is currently being handled.

    Disclaimer : “Opinions expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not in any way reflect those of tigpost.co. Our outfit will hereby not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article.”

    Source: xxlmag.com

  • Trump holds up Bible in front of St John’s

    US President Trump paused to hold up a Bible in front of the historic St John’s Church, just moments after armed soldiers chased out peaceful protesters from the area – clearing the way forward for him.

    But the episcopal bishop of Washington DC accused Trump of using the church as a prop.

    “I am outraged…[that] they could use one of our churches as a prop, holding a Bible… one that declares that God is love when everything [Trump] has said and done is to enflame violence,” the Right Rev Mariann Budde told the Washington Post newspaper.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Man dies as shots exchanged during protest in Kentucky

    A man has died in Louisville, Kentucky, early on Monday after police, the National Guard and protesters exchanged gunfire, local officials are quoted as saying.

    It happened as police and the National Guard were trying to disperse crowds.

    Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) chief Steve Conrad told NBC’s local affiliate WAVE that one person was confirmed dead at the scene. No further details were immediately available.

    Last week, a 19-year-old man was shot and killed during protests in Detroit, Michigan.

    That shooting did not involve police, US media quoted officers as saying.

    Disclaimer : “Opinions expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not in any way reflect those of tigpost.co.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Protesters forcibly cut off Bolivia Mayors hair

    The mayor of a small town in Bolivia has been attacked by opposition protesters who dragged her through the streets barefoot, covered her in red paint and forcibly cut her hair.

    Patricia Arce of the governing Mas party was handed over to police in Vinto after several hours.

    It is the latest in a series of violent clashes between government supporters and opponents in the wake of controversial presidential elections.

    At least three people have died so far.

    What happened?
    A group of anti-government protesters was blocking a bridge in Vinto, a small town in Cochabamba province in central Bolivia, as part of their ongoing demonstrations following the presidential election on 20 October.

    Read:Four Malawi protesters charged over stoning policeman to death

    Rumours spread that two opposition protesters had been killed nearby in clashes with supporters of incumbent president, Evo Morales, prompting an angry group to march to the town hall.

    The protesters accused Mayor Arce of having bussed in supporters of the president to try and break a blockade they had set up and blamed her for the reported deaths, one of which was later confirmed.

    Amid shouts of “murderess, murderess” masked men dragged her through the streets barefoot to the bridge. There, they made her kneel down, cut her hair and doused her in red paint. They also forced her to sign a resignation letter.

    Ms Arce was eventually handed over to the police who took her to a local health centre.

    Her office was set alight and the windows of the town hall were smashed.

    Read:Sudan protesters, army rulers ink power sharing deal

    Who died?
    The person killed in clashes between supporters and opponents of President Morales was identified as 20-year-old student Limbert Guzmán Vasquez. Doctors said Mr Guzmán Vasquez had a fractured skull which may have been caused by an explosive device.

    He is the third person to be killed since the clashes between the two sides erupted on 20 October.

    Tension has been running high since election night when the results count was inexplicably paused for 24 hours.

    The suspension prompted suspicions among supporters of opposition candidate Carlos Mesa that the result had been rigged to allow Mr Morales, who has been in power since 2006 to stay on for another five years.

    The final result gave Mr Morales just over the 10-percentage-point lead he needed to win outright in the first round of the presidential election.

    Read:Violent protesters invade Nigerian parliament, shoot 3 policemen

    Election observers from the Organization of American States (OAS) expressed their concerns and an audit by the body is currently underway. However, Mr Mesa has rejected the audit arguing that it was agreed without his or his party’s input.

    Mr Morales has accused Mr Mesa of staging a coup d’etat and supporters of each side have squared off in La Paz and other cities.

    Source: bbc.com