Prominent activists, lawyers condemn harassment of human rights advocate Nadeem Khan
New Delhi: A coalition of researchers, politicians, and senior Supreme Court lawyers convened at the Press Club of India on Tuesday to denounce the “harassment” of prominent human rights activist Nadeem Khan. The gathering expressed strong disapproval of the recent actions against Khan, who serves as the national general secretary of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR).
Khan was allegedly “illegally detained” by the Delhi Police for nearly six hours in Bengaluru on Saturday, according to a statement released by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). This incident followed the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against him on allegations of promoting enmity through a video highlighting hate crimes in India.
The Delhi High Court, however, has extended interim protection to Khan, barring his arrest until Friday. The court noted that the country’s unity was “not so fragile” as to be threatened by such actions.
Tuesday’s event, held to protest the FIR and Khan’s detention, was moderated by writer and activist Farah Naqvi. A panel of distinguished figures, including Supreme Court lawyers Sanjay Hegde, Prashant Bhushan, and Nizam Pasha; Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha; former Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed; and Kavita Srivastava from PUCL, voiced their concerns over the alleged targeting of Khan.
Naqvi emphasized that the issue extends beyond Khan and APCR, representing a broader attempt to criminalize fundamental democratic rights. “This is not just about Nadeem or APCR. This case is about delegitimizing our basic rights as citizens,” she remarked. Naqvi also criticized the selective targeting of individuals speaking against injustices, saying, “It appears that only people with ‘certain names’ can raise issues like lynching and bulldozer injustice, while others face criminalisation.”
The PUCL, in its statement, alleged that Khan faced “coercion and intimidation” by Delhi Police officers who arrived at his residence in Bengaluru on November 30 without a warrant. According to the organisation, four officers, including the Shaheen Bagh police station’s Station House Officer (SHO), pressured Khan to travel to Delhi for questioning related to the FIR.
Supreme Court lawyer Nizam Pasha said, “The police first visited his house before the FIR was filed, and just hours later, they were in Bengaluru to arrest him. This raises serious questions about the intent and timing.”
The FIR against Khan was lodged under sections 353 (statements conducing to public mischief), 196 (promoting enmity between groups), and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). It pertained to a video titled ‘Records of Hindustan in Modi Sarkar’ that documented hate crimes in India.
Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan defended Khan’s efforts to document and address hate crimes, asserting that raising awareness about such issues is a civic responsibility, not a criminal act. He commended APCR for its effective work in protecting civil rights and criticized the pattern of filing FIRs against activists like Khan and Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair while perpetrators of hate crimes remain largely unchecked.
Sanjay Hegde also recounted Khan’s impactful interventions, highlighting his role in seeking justice for victims of communal violence. Referring to the case of police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who was lynched in Uttar Pradesh in 2018, Hegde said, “Khan brought Singh’s widow to my house, which eventually led to a Supreme Court petition that canceled the bail of the accused. They are now in jail, awaiting trial.”
Kavita Srivastava from PUCL described the FIR as part of a disturbing trend where activists addressing systemic injustices are targeted. “This is about criminalizing advocacy and delegitimizing human rights work,” she said.
As Khan awaits further legal proceedings, the Delhi High Court’s interim protection offers temporary relief.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
