Irom Sharmila re-arrested, many CSOs decry
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 24 2015 :
Anti-AFSPA crusader Irom Chanu Sharmila, who was recently declared not guilty of the charges registered under Section 309 and 353 IPC by JMIC Imphal East , has been re-arrested under Section 309 (attempting to commit suicide) again and remanded to judicial custody till February 7 today.
Meanwhile, many civil society organisations and human right activists have strongly condemned the re-arrest of Irom Sharmila who has been fasting for the past 14 years or so demanding complete repeal of the infamous Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Manipur.
Sharmila was taken to JNIMS hospital by a police team led by Imphal West Additional SP (Law and Order) S Ibomcha at around 9 pm last night after her health condition deteriorated as she continued her hunger strike at Shamu Makhong from January 22 night.
She was formally arrested by a team of City police station from JNIMS hospital under Section 309 IPC and later produced before Duty Magistrate Imphal West Letkhogen Kipgen at around 3.30 pm today under FIR number 12(1)2015 of City police station.
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It may be mentioned that Irom Chanu Sharmila was released from judicial custody on January 22 after she was discharged by the Court from the charges framed against her under Section 309 and 353 IPC.
Before the charge sheet was framed, she was arrested by Porompat police station on August 22 last year just a few days after she was released and discharged by the Sessions Court, Manipur East from the charges filed under Section 309 IPC.
Amnesty International India Programme Director Semeer Babu said that Irom Sharmila was freed and re-arrested twice during the past five months.
This has become something of a convention.
This is nothing but making a mockery of the Indian criminal justice process, he decried during a press meet here today.
On August 19 last year, Court found Sharmila not guilty of the charges levelled against her and she was freed from judicial custody.
But three days later, she was re-arrested on the same charge of attempting to commit suicide.
In the meantime, the British Medical Council and the World Medical Council observed that fasting does not necessarily mean attempting to commit suicide.
Fasting can be used a tool for pursuing certain political demands.
In line with the same observation, the Parliament's Upper House discussed about repealing IPC Section 309 which says that any one attempting to commit suicide may be imprisoned for one year.
One trustee member of Just Peace Foundation noted that the Government of Manipur has been repeatedly releasing and re-arresting Sharmila rather than repealing AFSPA which is a common demand of all the people of Manipur.
Members of some civil society organisations today went to give some articles to Sharmila but they were prevented from meeting the anti-AFSPA crusader by police.
"If Sharmila was re-arrested on medical ground as her health condition deteriorated, then why did police prevent us from meeting her ?" asked the trustee member.
If AFSPA had been repealed from the State, Sharmila would not have been fasting today.
It's time for the State Government to act swiftly towards scrapping the infamous Act, said Babloo Loitongbam of the Human Rights Alert.
Amnesty International India, Human Rights Alert, Just Peace Foundation and Indigenous Perspectives have strongly condemned the re-arrest of Sharmila.
Ksh Onil of Just Peace Foundation, Nandini Thokchom of Indigenous Perspectives and Monika Khangenbam of Human Rights Alert were also present at the press meet.