Six activists deported from Israel after intercepted Gaza Flotilla, two still remain in custody
The Israeli foreign ministry has deported six out of eight international activists who were detained in Israel after their vessel was intercepted while attempting to breach the naval blockade on Gaza. The activists were held for over 72 hours after the seizure of the Madleen Freedom Flotilla in international waters.
Israeli human rights organisation Adalah, which has been providing legal counsel to the activists, confirmed that the remaining two are still in Israeli custody. They are scheduled for deportation on Friday. Among those already deported is French-Palestinian European Parliament member Rima Hassan. In a statement on X, the Israeli foreign ministry shared images of the activists boarding a flight, adding a pointed message: "Bye-bye- and don't forget to take a selfie before you leave."
Following her release, Hassan confirmed through a social media that she had left prison and invited supporters to join her at Place de la République in Paris later that evening.
The other deported activists include Mark van Rennes from the Netherlands, Suayb Ordu from Turkey, Yasemin Acar from Germany, Thiago Avila from Brazil and Reva Viard from France. Adalah identified the two activists still in custody as French nationals Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi. They are being held at Givon prison pending their scheduled deportation.
In its statement, Adalah raised concerns over the activists' treatment during their detention. It also reported instances of mistreatment, punitive actions and periods of solitary confinement for some detainees. The organisation demanded for the immediate release of all eight individuals and criticised Israel’s actions as violations of international law.
The Israeli foreign ministry earlier stated that any detainees refusing to sign deportation papers would be subjected to legal proceedings in accordance with domestic laws to enforce their removal from the country.
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Defamation case: Rahul alleges political malice; UP court sets March 9 hearing
Sultanpur (UP) (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday appeared before an MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur and recorded his statement in a 2018 defamation case related to his remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Gandhi told the court of Special Judge Shubham Verma that the allegations against him were made out of political malice and with an aim of destroying his image and that of his party, the Congress leader's advocate Kashi Prasad Shukla told PTI.
The court fixed March 9 as the next date of hearing on which the Lok Sabha MP from Raebareli has been asked to furnish evidence in his defence, the lawyer said.
Elaborating about the statement given by the Congress leader in the court, his lawyer said Gandhi denied all allegations levelled against him.
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"The allegations are baseless and unfounded. I have never used derogatory words against anyone, nor have I used such language with the intention of defaming anyone. A false complaint has been filed by distorting my statement," Shukla quoted Gandhi as saying.
"The allegations have been made against me out of political malice with the aim of destroying my image and that of my party. I have never used derogatory words against anyone, nor have I used such language with the intention of defaming anyone," Gandhi told the court
As the Congress leader emerged from the court after recording his statement, party supporters raised slogans hailing him. Gandhi smiled and waved at the crowd before leaving.
Gandhi entered the Sultanpur court around 10.40 am and left after recording statements around 11.15 am.
Ahead of the court hearing, some local Congress leaders had put up posters in Sultanpur that read 'Satyamev Jayate' (truth always triumphs).
The case dates back to 2018 when local BJP leader and former chairman of the District Cooperative Bank Vijay Mishra had filed a defamation complaint against Gandhi, alleging that during the Karnataka elections in 2018, the Congress leader made derogatory remarks against the then BJP president and current Union Home Minister Shah.
Santosh Kumar Pandey, the lawyer representing Mishra, said the cross-examination of the plaintiff and two witnesses has been completed.
The trial has been underway for the past five years. In December 2023, a warrant was issued against Gandhi for non-appearance before the court. He surrendered in February 2024, following which a special magistrate granted him bail on two sureties of Rs 25,000 each.
On July 26, 2024, Gandhi recorded his statement before the court, claiming innocence and terming the case a political conspiracy. Thereafter, the court directed the complainant to produce evidence in the case.
