Myanmar frees journalists jailed for flying drone
Nay Pyi Taw: Two foreign journalists, an interpreter and a driver jailed for flying a drone near Myanmar's parliament have been released, the authorities said on Friday.
Cameraman Lau Hon Meng from Singapore and Malaysian reporter Mok Choy Lin were detained while shooting a documentary in October. Their driver Hla Tin and their interpreter, journalist Aung Naing Soe, are both from Myanmar, reports the BBC.
All four detainees, who work for Turkish broadcaster TRT, have served a two-month sentence for breaching anti-aircraft laws.
Further charges, which could have led to years in jail, have been dropped.
TRT has always insisted the authorities had been informed about the planned filming activities.
The four were being further investigated for breaching rules on importing the drone without a licence, an offence which could have resulted in a three-year jail term. The two foreign journalists were also accused of immigration offences.
But the police dropped the additional charges, saying the men had not endangered national security, the BBC reported.
Earlier this month, two local Reuters journalists covering the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine state were arrested.
The two are facing up to 14 years in prison and met their families on Wednesday for the first time since they were held.
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Kerala HC gives interim protection from arrest to Rahul Mamkootathil in rape case
Kochi (PTI): The Kerala High Court on Saturday gave interim protection from arrest to expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in a case of rape and forced abortion against him.
Justice K Babu said that it will hear Mamkootathil's anticipatory bail plea on December 15 and till then he should not be arrested.
"Petitioner shall not be arrested during the pendency. Post on December 15, 2025," the court said.
Advocate S Rajeev, appearing for the expelled Congress MLA confirmed the order.
However, Mamkootathil is accused in a second case of sexual assault.
A sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram had on Thursday rejected his plea for anticipatory bail in the first case of rape and forced abortion registered against him last week.
A second rape case was lodged against him on Wednesday based on the complaint of a second woman, a resident of Bengaluru.
Mamkootathil, who has been absconding since the registration of the first rape case against him, has claimed in his plea in the High Court that he was innocent and his custodial interrogation was not required.
He has also contended that the relationship between him and the first complainant was consensual and when it became strained, a complaint was lodged against him.
The MLA has further claimed that the woman was married, but separated from her husband, and in order to "save her own skin" she disowned their relationship.
In his plea, Mamkootathil has said that he was prepared to explain each and every circumstance of the offences alleged against him and will also cooperate with the probe if he would get an opportunity to appear before the investigating officer without any fear of arrest.
He has also alleged that there is an attempt by the investigation agency to "mislead the facts" and he has got ample documents to establish the same.
