Dozens of children have been killed and hundreds arbitrarily detained in Myanmar since a coup more than five months ago, UN rights experts warned Friday.

The UN Child Rights Committee said in a statement that it had received "credible information" indicating that since the February 1 coup, "75 children have been killed, about 1,000 arbitrarily detained and countless more deprived of essential medical care and education".&nbsp;

Dozens of children have been killed and hundreds arbitrarily detained in Myanmar since a coup more than five months ago, UN rights experts warned Friday. The UN Child Rights Committee said in a statement that it had received "credible information" indicating that since the February 1 coup, "75 children have been killed, about 1,000 arbitrarily detained and countless more deprived of essential medical care and education".

75 children killed, around 1,000 detained since Myanmar coup: UN experts

Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, a journalist, former opposition lawmaker and son of ex-president Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, has been arrested on charges of undermining&nbsp;Nicaragua's sovereignty, the National Police said Saturday.

Chamorro is just the latest opposition figure to be detained five months ahead of a presidential election in which President Daniel Ortega will likely seek re-election.

In raids that began on June 2, security and paramilitary forces have arrested at least 20 opposition figures, including five leading presidential candidates -- one of whom is Chamorro's sister Cristiana Chamorro, a favourite to face Ortega in November's poll -- as well as journalists, businessmen and a banker.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uks-former-finance-minister-javid-appointed-as-health-minister-394201">Also Read |&nbsp;UK's former finance minister Javid appointed as health minister</a>

Pedro Joaquin Chamorro was arrested late Friday and faces charges of "inciting foreign interference," "asking for interference" and "applauding" sanctions against&nbsp;Nicaragua, the National Police said in a statement.

The charges are based on a law initiated by Ortega's government and approved by the legislature in December purportedly to defend&nbsp;Nicaragua's sovereignty -- a measure widely criticized as a means of freezing out challengers and silencing opponents.

Chamorro's brother -- journalist and magazine director Carlos Fernando Chamorro -- announced on June 21 that he was forced to leave the country due to the government's political persecution.

Violeta Chamorro, president from 1990 to 1997, has been at home for two years suffering from various ailments. She is 91.

A firebrand Marxist in his younger days, Ortega led his Sandinistas in 1979 as they toppled a corrupt autocratic regime -- a move that drew popular applause at the time -- and seized control of the country.

He ruled until 1990, returned to power in 2007 and has twice won re-election. His vice president is his wife, Rosario Murillo.

Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, a journalist, former opposition lawmaker and son of ex-president Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, has been arrested on charges of undermining Nicaragua's sovereignty, the National Police said Saturday.

Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, a journalist, former opposition lawmaker and son of ex-president Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, has been arrested on charges of undermining Nicaragua's sovereignty, the National Police said Saturday. Chamorro is just the latest opposition figure to be detained five months ahead of a presidential election in which President Daniel Ortega will likely seek re-election. In raids that began on June 2, security and paramilitary forces have arrested at least 20 opposition figures, including five leading presidential candidates -- one of whom is Chamorro's sister Cristiana Chamorro, a favourite to face Ortega in November's poll -- as well as journalists, businessmen and a banker. Also Read | UK's former finance minister Javid appointed as health minister Pedro Joaquin Chamorro was arrested late Friday and faces charges of "inciting foreign interference," "asking for interference" and "applauding" sanctions against Nicaragua, the National Police said in a statement. The charges are based on a law initiated by Ortega's government and approved by the legislature in December purportedly to defend Nicaragua's sovereignty -- a measure widely criticized as a means of freezing out challengers and silencing opponents. Chamorro's brother -- journalist and magazine director Carlos Fernando Chamorro -- announced on June 21 that he was forced to leave the country due to the government's political persecution. Violeta Chamorro, president from 1990 to 1997, has been at home for two years suffering from various ailments. She is 91. A firebrand Marxist in his younger days, Ortega led his Sandinistas in 1979 as they toppled a corrupt autocratic regime -- a move that drew popular applause at the time -- and seized control of the country. He ruled until 1990, returned to power in 2007 and has twice won re-election. His vice president is his wife, Rosario Murillo.

Son of ex-president Chamorro detained in Nicaragua

Lawyers for two <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-reuters-journalists-lose-appeal-against-7-year-sentence-189568">Reuters journalists jailed for seven years in Myanmar </a>on charges linked to their reporting of the Rohingya crisis lodged an appeal Friday with the Supreme Court -- a last chance of a reprieve through the legal system.

Reporters Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, both Myanmar nationals, were arrested in Yangon in December 2017 and later jailed for violating the Official Secrets Act.

Reuters says the charge was trumped up to muzzle their reporting into a massacre of Rohingya men.&nbsp;

The two were convicted of possessing classified information regarding security operations in Rakhine state, from where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims fled during an army-led crackdown the United Nations has described as "ethnic cleansing".

But their sentence provoked outcry over media freedom in Myanmar with calls echoing across the world for their immediate release.

In January Yangon's High Court rejected their initial appeal leaving their fate in the hands of judges at the Supreme Court.

"Our petition asks that the Supreme Court finally provide justice to Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, reverse the lower courts' errors, and order the release of our journalists," a statement from Reuters said.

Under Myanmar law Supreme Court judges hear appeals individually, giving lawyers for the journalists several options.

The process is expected to take several months.

The only other chance of early release comes from a presidential pardon.

Rights groups have heaped pressure on de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to use her leverage to secure a pardon.

But she has steadfastedly refused to intervene in the case in favour of the reporters, describing it as an issue for the courts.

At the time of their arrest the men were probing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya men at Inn Din village in northern Rakhine state.

The pair insist they were victims of a police set-up.

Testimony during the trial from a whistleblowing officer appeared to validate their claim.

Moe Yan Naing, was initially called as a prosecution witness, but stunned the court by saying superiors had ordered police to entrap the reporters.

His breaking of the ranks was extremely rare from a serving member of Myanmar's secretive security apparatus and he was jailed for a year after giving testimony.

On Friday the ex-policeman walked free after serving his sentence at Yangon's Insein prison -- where the Reuters reporters are also doing their time.

"I've never broken any police regulations in my life, but the police regulations are not perfect," he told reporters as he left the jail.

"Members of the police force are suffering under these," he said, calling for reform "as part of the transition to democracy".

Lawyers for two Reuters journalists jailed for seven years in Myanmar on charges linked to their reporting of the Rohingya crisis lodged an appeal Friday with the Supreme Court -- a last chance of a reprieve through the legal system.

Lawyers for two Reuters journalists jailed for seven years in Myanmar on charges linked to their reporting of the Rohingya crisis lodged an appeal Friday with the Supreme Court -- a last chance of a reprieve through the legal system. Reporters Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, both Myanmar nationals, were arrested in Yangon in December 2017 and later jailed for violating the Official Secrets Act. Reuters says the charge was trumped up to muzzle their reporting into a massacre of Rohingya men. The two were convicted of possessing classified information regarding security operations in Rakhine state, from where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims fled during an army-led crackdown the United Nations has described as "ethnic cleansing". But their sentence provoked outcry over media freedom in Myanmar with calls echoing across the world for their immediate release. In January Yangon's High Court rejected their initial appeal leaving their fate in the hands of judges at the Supreme Court. "Our petition asks that the Supreme Court finally provide justice to Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, reverse the lower courts' errors, and order the release of our journalists," a statement from Reuters said. Under Myanmar law Supreme Court judges hear appeals individually, giving lawyers for the journalists several options. The process is expected to take several months. The only other chance of early release comes from a presidential pardon. Rights groups have heaped pressure on de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to use her leverage to secure a pardon. But she has steadfastedly refused to intervene in the case in favour of the reporters, describing it as an issue for the courts. At the time of their arrest the men were probing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya men at Inn Din village in northern Rakhine state. The pair insist they were victims of a police set-up. Testimony during the trial from a whistleblowing officer appeared to validate their claim. Moe Yan Naing, was initially called as a prosecution witness, but stunned the court by saying superiors had ordered police to entrap the reporters. His breaking of the ranks was extremely rare from a serving member of Myanmar's secretive security apparatus and he was jailed for a year after giving testimony. On Friday the ex-policeman walked free after serving his sentence at Yangon's Insein prison -- where the Reuters reporters are also doing their time. "I've never broken any police regulations in my life, but the police regulations are not perfect," he told reporters as he left the jail. "Members of the police force are suffering under these," he said, calling for reform "as part of the transition to democracy".

Jailed Reuters reporters launch last appeal to Myanmar's top court

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and around 1,600 anti-Kremlin activists were detained by police on Saturday during street protests against Vladimir Putin ahead of his inauguration for a fourth term as president.

Navalny had called for demonstrations in more than 90 towns and cities across Russia against what he says is Putin's autocratic, tsar-like rule.

Before his detention, he briefly addressed supporters in central Moscow, leading them in chants of 'Down with the Tsar!".

"They said that this city belongs to Putin. Is that right?" Navalny asked his supporters. "Do you need a tsar?" he asked, eliciting a collective roar of "No!"

Putin won re-election overwhelmingly in March, extending his grip over Russia for six more years - a tenure of 24 years that would make him Moscow's longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

Navalny, who was barred from running in the election on what he says was a false pretext, was detained soon after showing up on Moscow's Pushkin Square, where young people were chanting "Russia without Putin!" and "Putin is a Thief!".

Video footage showed five policemen hauling him to a waiting van by his arms and legs, a scene that was repeated dozens of times with his supporters.

Early on Sunday, shortly after midnight, Navalny said on social media he had been released from custody until a court appearance, which is expected to take place on May 11.

Navalny said he had been charged with organising an unsanctioned meeting and with disobeying the police.

"Apparently the order came down not to 'jail me before the (Putin) inauguration,'" wrote Navalny.

The penalty for the offences he is charged with could see him fined and jailed for up to 30 days.

'NOTHING WILL CHANGE'

Navalny, who has been detained and jailed numerous times for organising similar protests, said he was proud to have made it to the rally.

One protester in Moscow, wearing a rabbit's mask with the legend "Tsar of the Animals", said he was unsure what the protest would achieve.

"I have the feeling that people are gathering just to let off steam and that nothing will change," said the 31-year-old man called Alexander, who declined to give his surname.

OVD-Info, a rights organisation that monitors detentions, said it had received reports of police detaining 1,597 people across Russia, nearly half of them in Moscow. Images from the Moscow protest showed pro-Kremlin Cossacks beating protesters with leather whips.

A police spokesman said around 1,500 people had protested in Moscow, of whom around 300 had been detained, the Interfax news agency reported. Reuters reporters estimated the crowd numbered several thousand.

Protests also took place in the Far East, Siberia and St. Petersburg, where Interfax cited the police as saying around 200 people had been detained. In the city of Yekaterinburg, around 1,500 km (900 miles) east of Moscow, a Reuters reporter saw over 1,000 people protesting and shouting anti-Putin slogans.

FATHER OF THE NATION

Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000.

Backed by state TV and the ruling party, and credited with an approval rating of around 80 percent, he is lauded by supporters as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow’s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine.

The authorities regard most of the protests as illegal, arguing that their time and place was not approved beforehand, and that the police have a duty to protect public order.

Putin has dismissed Navalny as a troublemaker bent on sowing chaos on behalf of Washington. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close Putin ally, has called Navalny a political charlatan.

Putin is due to be inaugurated on Monday in a Kremlin ceremony heavy on pomp.

With more than 56 million votes, almost 77 percent of the total, his March election win was his biggest ever and the largest by any post-Soviet Russian leader, something he and his allies say gave him an unequivocal mandate to govern.

European observers said there had been no real choice in the election, and complained of unfair pressure on critical voices. Critics like Navalny accuse Putin of overseeing a corrupt authoritarian system and of annexing Ukraine’s Crimea illegally in 2014, a move that isolated Russia internationally.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and around 1,600 anti-Kremlin activists were detained by police

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and around 1,600 anti-Kremlin activists were detained by police on Saturday during street protests against Vladimir Putin ahead of his inauguration for a fourth term as president. Navalny had called for demonstrations in more than 90 towns and cities across Russia against what he says is Putin's autocratic, tsar-like rule. Before his detention, he briefly addressed supporters in central Moscow, leading them in chants of 'Down with the Tsar!". "They said that this city belongs to Putin. Is that right?" Navalny asked his supporters. "Do you need a tsar?" he asked, eliciting a collective roar of "No!" Putin won re-election overwhelmingly in March, extending his grip over Russia for six more years - a tenure of 24 years that would make him Moscow's longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Navalny, who was barred from running in the election on what he says was a false pretext, was detained soon after showing up on Moscow's Pushkin Square, where young people were chanting "Russia without Putin!" and "Putin is a Thief!". Video footage showed five policemen hauling him to a waiting van by his arms and legs, a scene that was repeated dozens of times with his supporters. Early on Sunday, shortly after midnight, Navalny said on social media he had been released from custody until a court appearance, which is expected to take place on May 11. Navalny said he had been charged with organising an unsanctioned meeting and with disobeying the police. "Apparently the order came down not to 'jail me before the (Putin) inauguration,'" wrote Navalny. The penalty for the offences he is charged with could see him fined and jailed for up to 30 days. 'NOTHING WILL CHANGE' Navalny, who has been detained and jailed numerous times for organising similar protests, said he was proud to have made it to the rally. One protester in Moscow, wearing a rabbit's mask with the legend "Tsar of the Animals", said he was unsure what the protest would achieve. "I have the feeling that people are gathering just to let off steam and that nothing will change," said the 31-year-old man called Alexander, who declined to give his surname. OVD-Info, a rights organisation that monitors detentions, said it had received reports of police detaining 1,597 people across Russia, nearly half of them in Moscow. Images from the Moscow protest showed pro-Kremlin Cossacks beating protesters with leather whips. A police spokesman said around 1,500 people had protested in Moscow, of whom around 300 had been detained, the Interfax news agency reported. Reuters reporters estimated the crowd numbered several thousand. Protests also took place in the Far East, Siberia and St. Petersburg, where Interfax cited the police as saying around 200 people had been detained. In the city of Yekaterinburg, around 1,500 km (900 miles) east of Moscow, a Reuters reporter saw over 1,000 people protesting and shouting anti-Putin slogans. FATHER OF THE NATION Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000. Backed by state TV and the ruling party, and credited with an approval rating of around 80 percent, he is lauded by supporters as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow’s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine. The authorities regard most of the protests as illegal, arguing that their time and place was not approved beforehand, and that the police have a duty to protect public order. Putin has dismissed Navalny as a troublemaker bent on sowing chaos on behalf of Washington. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close Putin ally, has called Navalny a political charlatan. Putin is due to be inaugurated on Monday in a Kremlin ceremony heavy on pomp. With more than 56 million votes, almost 77 percent of the total, his March election win was his biggest ever and the largest by any post-Soviet Russian leader, something he and his allies say gave him an unequivocal mandate to govern. European observers said there had been no real choice in the election, and complained of unfair pressure on critical voices. Critics like Navalny accuse Putin of overseeing a corrupt authoritarian system and of annexing Ukraine’s Crimea illegally in 2014, a move that isolated Russia internationally.

Russian opposition leader and activists held before Putin inauguration

Finnish police said on Wednesday they had arrested two more suspects in connection with last week&#39;s stabbing spree that killed two women and wounded eight other people.

Police have previously detained the main suspect, a Moroccan asylum seeker, and three other Moroccan men in connection with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/finland-two-dead-6-injured-as-man-goes-on-stabbing-spree-in-turku-19189">killings on Friday in the city of&nbsp;Turku</a>. An international arrest warrant has been issued for a fifth.

The incident has been treated as Finland&#39;s first suspected Islamist militant&nbsp;attack.

The two new suspects gave different stories to Finnish and Swedish authorities, telling the former they were from Algeria and the latter they were Moroccan, the National Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.

The main suspect has been named as 18-year-old Moroccan Abderrahman Mechkah, who on Tuesday told a court he was responsible for the&nbsp;attack&nbsp;but denied a terrorist motive.

Police said his identity is likely to be false.

&quot;We have reasons to suspect that he has given wrong information to authorities when coming to the country,&quot; Detective Superintendent Markus Laine of the National Bureau of Investigation told Reuters.

The man identified as Mechkah arrived in Finland in 2016, lived in a reception center in&nbsp;Turku&nbsp;and was denied asylum before the&nbsp;attack.

He had earlier spent time in Germany, according to authorities. German media reported on Tuesday that he had used several false identities in the country and that he was charged with causing bodily harm.

&quot;We can&#39;t comment yet on his motives... he has not been willing to answer all questions,&quot; Laine said.

He said the police had not so far found any links to the van&nbsp;attack&nbsp;in Barcelona, Spain, which killed 13 people and wounded scores of others a day earlier.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the&nbsp;attack&nbsp;in Spain. Police said all members of a 12-man cell they believe to have been responsible for the&nbsp;attack&nbsp;had been either killed or arrested in the days after.

The incident has been treated as Finland's first suspected Islamist militant attack

Finnish police said on Wednesday they had arrested two more suspects in connection with last week's stabbing spree that killed two women and wounded eight other people. Police have previously detained the main suspect, a Moroccan asylum seeker, and three other Moroccan men in connection with the killings on Friday in the city of Turku. An international arrest warrant has been issued for a fifth. The incident has been treated as Finland's first suspected Islamist militant attack. The two new suspects gave different stories to Finnish and Swedish authorities, telling the former they were from Algeria and the latter they were Moroccan, the National Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. The main suspect has been named as 18-year-old Moroccan Abderrahman Mechkah, who on Tuesday told a court he was responsible for the attack but denied a terrorist motive. Police said his identity is likely to be false. "We have reasons to suspect that he has given wrong information to authorities when coming to the country," Detective Superintendent Markus Laine of the National Bureau of Investigation told Reuters. The man identified as Mechkah arrived in Finland in 2016, lived in a reception center in Turku and was denied asylum before the attack. He had earlier spent time in Germany, according to authorities. German media reported on Tuesday that he had used several false identities in the country and that he was charged with causing bodily harm. "We can't comment yet on his motives... he has not been willing to answer all questions," Laine said. He said the police had not so far found any links to the van attack in Barcelona, Spain, which killed 13 people and wounded scores of others a day earlier. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack in Spain. Police said all members of a 12-man cell they believe to have been responsible for the attack had been either killed or arrested in the days after.

Two new suspects arrested in Turku stabbing incident by Finnish police

A Pakistani national has been detained for staying in a temple here after assuming a false identity.

An Aadhaar card and a PAN card issued in his name, and a Pakistani passport have been seized from him.

As per the passport, his name is Raja and he is a resident of Hindu Colony, Larkana, in Pakistan&#39;s Sindh province, the police said.

&quot;Raja, a Hindu, came to India in 2013 and his visa expired last year. He had been living in Iskcon temple in Bahadurgarh for the past nine months,&quot; superintendent of police, Jhajjar, B Satheesh Balan said.

The date of birth on his passport is different from what is mentioned on Aadhaar and PAN cards, the police said.

(PTI)

A Pakistani national has been detained for staying at a temple in Haryana under an assumed identity

A Pakistani national has been detained for staying in a temple here after assuming a false identity. An Aadhaar card and a PAN card issued in his name, and a Pakistani passport have been seized from him. As per the passport, his name is Raja and he is a resident of Hindu Colony, Larkana, in Pakistan's Sindh province, the police said. "Raja, a Hindu, came to India in 2013 and his visa expired last year. He had been living in Iskcon temple in Bahadurgarh for the past nine months," superintendent of police, Jhajjar, B Satheesh Balan said. The date of birth on his passport is different from what is mentioned on Aadhaar and PAN cards, the police said. (PTI)

Pakistan national living with Indian identity held in Haryana

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