Lawyers lead a fact-finding mission and release report on ‘targeted political violence against Muslim minorities in the state’ and journalist tweeted ‘Tripura is burning’
A special Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana booked two lawyers and a journalist under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) from any “coercive action” by the Tripura Police.
The lawyers had led a fact-finding mission and in October released a report on “targeted political violence against Muslim minorities in the state” and the journalist tweeted “Tripura is burning”.
Advocates Mukesh and Ansarul Haque Ansar and journalist Shyam Meera Singh had petitioned the court to quash the FIR registered against them and save them from arrest.
He said the state of Tripura was “monopolying the flow of information and facts emanating from the affected areas by invoking the UAPA against members of civil society, including advocates and journalists, who have attempted to bring facts regarding the targeted violence to the public.” Domain”.
The petition, filed through advocate Prashant Bhushan, asked the court to restrict the vague and broad definition given for “unlawful activity” under the UAPA. It argued that the definition allowed the state to dissent with the UAPA’s threat and crush freedom of expression.
notice to the state
The bench, also comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant, issued notice to Tripura.
The petitioners contended that the registration of UAPA cases against them amounts to “criminalisation of the act of fact-finding and reporting”. Strict sections of the UAPA were being used to spread a calming effect on freedom of expression and expression of civil society. Anticipatory bail was barred under the UAPA and the chances of bail were very low.
“The only facts that fall in the public domain are convenient to the state because of the ‘cooling effect’ on the freedom of expression and expression of the members of civil society. The idea of justice is there,” the petition said. The shadow of UAPA would stifle the ‘free flow of information and ideas’.
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