Amnesty Nepal activists protesting outside the Indian embassy in Kathmandu on Friday, November 30, against the Indian government’s crackdown of Amnesty India were reportedly arrested by local police.
@amnestynepal activists got arrested protesting against the Indian Government crackdown against @AIIndia and other #HumanRights organizations pic.twitter.com/Ik81Y15N4m
— Amnesty Nepal (@amnestynepal) November 30, 2018
#bullynomore @NepalPoliceHQ arrests peaceful demonstrators protesting against the #IndianGovernment‘s crackdown against #humamrights pic.twitter.com/WQqESEQdPQ
— Amnesty Nepal (@amnestynepal) November 30, 2018
Reportedly, more than 30 Amnesty Nepal activists, conducting peaceful protests against the crackdown on their Indian counterparts, were arrested by armed forces early on Friday morning. Criticising the arrests, Amnesty Nepal tweeted, “#keephumanrightsalive @narendramodi should rectify his ways of muzzling critical voices and #humanrights activism and stand up to the values and ideals his government represents as a member to the @UN #HumanRightsCouncil.”
Amnesty India also tweeted in support of Amnesty Nepal and said that it “stood in solidarity” with the Nepalese activists. “Early this morning 30 of our brave colleagues from @amnestynepal were detained for peacefully protesting the crackdown on #humanrights in #India. We stand in solidarity with you. #KeepHumanRightsAlive.”
NEPAL: Early this morning 30 of our brave colleagues from @amnestynepal were detained for peacefully protesting the crackdown on #humanrights in #India.
We stand in solidarity with you.#KeepHumanRightsAlive pic.twitter.com/p9QoUZyr6x
— Amnesty India (@AIIndia) November 30, 2018
Other Amnesty International branches and employees, too, voiced their support, and asked for the release of the activists:
The #Nepal authorities must immediately and unconditionally release members and supporters of @amnestynepal who were detained after protesting outside the #Indian embassy this morning@birajpat @amnestysasia #BullyNoMore #KeepHumanRightsAlive #MutBrauchtSchutz pic.twitter.com/uRWl54FXKE
— Amnesty DE Asien (@asien_amnesty) November 30, 2018
국제앰네스티 인도지부가 정부로부터 불시 단속을 받은 데 이어 은행 계좌까지 동결되었습니다. 그린피스 인도사무소도 같은 일을 당했습니다. 인도 정부가 시민사회를 탄압하기 위해 벌인 단속으로 보입니다.
????탄원참여하기 https://t.co/hN8IAoYZBQ pic.twitter.com/YoeA6sjrxq— 국제앰네스티 한국지부 (@AmnestyKorea) November 28, 2018
오늘 앰네스티네팔지부 활동가들이 주네팔 인도대사관 앞에서 인도정부의 시민사회 탄압을 규탄하며 시위를 벌였다는 이유로 체포되었다가 몇시간만에 풀려났습니다. 집회시위와 단체결성은 언제나 보장받아야할 기본인권입니다. #KeepHumanRightsAlive #BullyNoMore
액션참여 https://t.co/zBKxQ73ftX pic.twitter.com/ScTFbmfsPJ— 국제앰네스티 한국지부 (@AmnestyKorea) November 30, 2018
The Nepal authorities must immediately and unconditionally release members and supporters of Amnesty International Nepal @amnestynepal who were detained after protesting outside the Indian embassy this morning@birajpat @amnestysasia #BullyNoMore #StopCrackdownOnHumanRights pic.twitter.com/82EkzzW7Yl
— Suki Chung (@Sukichungml) November 30, 2018
Amnesty Nepal activists’ protests come following the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) raid on Amnesty India’s Bengaluru office in October. The ED had frozen the bank accounts of Amnesty India, in a move that resembled its crackdown on Greenpeace India, back in 2015.
Amnesty UK drew attention to the government’s recent show of bullying by calling out Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a tweet following Friday’s events in Kathmandu, Amnesty UK posted a video on Twitter, commenting, “PM of India @narendramodi promised to protect human rights… but instead he targets activists & charities! Today, as PM Modi represents #India at #G20Summit, we remind him that strong leaders don’t bully charities @HCI_London #KeepHumanRightsAlive.”
PM of India @narendramodi promised to protect human rights… but instead he targets activists & charities! Today, as PM Modi represents #India at #G20Summit, we remind him that strong leaders don’t bully charities @HCI_London #KeepHumanRightsAlive ???? https://t.co/nDhSdXd1Pl pic.twitter.com/PhrliXDKiQ
— Amnesty UK (@AmnestyUK) November 30, 2018
Earlier on November 24, Amnesty Argentina activists had shared on Twitter that they would be protesting outside the Indian embassy in Buenos Aires.
El gobierno de India bloqueó las cuentas bancarias de @AIIndia, lo que bloqueó su actividad.
Fuimos a la embajada de India para decirle a @narendramodi #BastaDeIntimidaciones #BullyNoMore pic.twitter.com/ngvZZYVLzE— Amnistía Internacional Argentina (@amnistiaar) November 24, 2018