Days after being convicted for publishing 'seditious' books, a Hong Kong court on Saturday sentenced the five speech therapists to nearly two years (19 months) in prison.

Days after being convicted for publishing 'seditious' books, a Hong Kong court on Saturday sentenced the five speech therapists to nearly two years (19 months) in prison. Reportedly, the five speech therapists have already been in jail for more than a year. Accordingly, they should be available for early release. However, given the trial has gained international prominence, experts believe that authorities might want to keep the group in jail for the full sentence, so as to send a message. As reported by WION, in 2020 and 2021, the industry association General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists published articles about a "sheep community" that had been harassed and harmed. The fables, according to the prosecution, were allegories that "indoctrinated" kids to embrace independence and hate Beijing. Read more: Hong Kong speech therapists convicted for publishing 'seditious' books that make kids hate Beijing "Seditious intention stems not merely from the words, but from the words with the proscribed effects intended to result in the mind of children," District Judge Kwok Wai-kin had remarked when announcing the group guilty of sedition. WATCH | Hong Kong judge finds 5 speech therapists guilty over children's books × After China passed the highly controversial National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong in 2020 amid a sea of protests, it was always believed that free speech will be culled in the former British colony. The bill, which is now a law in Hong Kong, attempts to punish crimes of secession, sedition, and collusion with foreign forces. When the bill was passed despite ordinary Hong Kong folks taking to the streets for months, it was described by the pro-democracy activists as ‘the end of the Hong Kong that the world knew before’. Akin to the speech therapists, Jimmy Lai, a 74-year-old media entrepreneur and the creator of the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, lost last week's lawsuit to stop national security officials from checking his cell phones for journalistic data, setting a precedent that may apply to other cases. Lai even lost his bid for a jury trial. Read more: Under Beijing's national security law, four Hong Kong locals arrested for sedition (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Hong Kong speech therapists sentenced to 19 months in prison for publishing 'seditious' books

Pakistan police arrested a close associate of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on charges of sedition and allegedly inciting army officers to mutiny.

Pakistan police arrest PTI’s Shahbaz Gill on sedition charges

A&nbsp;Cambodian court sentenced 20 former&nbsp;politicians&nbsp;and activists to up to 10 years in prison on Thursday for&nbsp;sedition, a lawyer and a human rights group said, part of a broad crackdown on the&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;that has drawn international condemnation.

Sam Rainsy, the self-exiled founder of the disbanded&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;Cambodia&nbsp;National Rescue Party (CNRP), has already been convicted of multiple offences and was among those found guilty on Thursday over remarks the authorities says were tantamount to plotting to overthrow the government.

More&nbsp;than 100&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;members or supporters have been charged with treason and incitement in the past few years in&nbsp;Cambodia, where Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled for 37 years, has been accused of trying crush all challenges to his party's political monopoly.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/in-myanmar-cambodian-pm-met-with-a-red-carpet-welcome-and-chants-of-we-dont-need-you-442896">In Myanmar, Cambodian PM met with a red-carpet welcome and chants of 'We don't need you'</a>

Former CNRP leader Kem Sokha is among dozens of people on trial for treason, many of whom are living in exile.

The government has denied targeting the&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;and says the trials are not politically motivated.

Rainsy, Hun Sen's biggest rival, who fled to France for fear of persecution in 2015, said the justice system was corrupt.

"The will for democratic change which the&nbsp;Cambodian people have demonstrated on every available occasion is impossible to extinguish. Opposing dictatorship is a duty, not a crime," he said in an email, when asked about his conviction.

Seven senior CNRP members were tried in absentia and sentenced to 10 years in prison while 13 of its supporters, who were in custody, were each ordered to serve three years and eight months in prison, defence lawyer Sam Sokong said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-continues-construction-at-ream-naval-base-in-cambodia-430298">China continues construction at Ream Naval base in Cambodia</a>

He said the case was politically motivated and all his clients were guilty of was voicing their support for Rainsy to return.

"What (our clients) said was just a right to express opinions as guaranteed by the constitution," he said.

Plang Sophal, the court's deputy prosecutor, said he was unaware of the case and declined to comment.

New York-based Human Rights Watch called for international condemnation of the convictions, which it said amounted to a "witch hunt that discredits both the&nbsp;Cambodian government and the country's courts".

Watch |&nbsp;China is funding construction work at Cambodia's Ream Naval base

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-is-funding-construction-work-at-cambodias-ream-naval-base-446811/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A Cambodian court sentenced 20 former politicians and activists to up to 10 years in prison on Thursday for sedition, a lawyer and a human rights group said, part of a broad crackdown on the opposition that has drawn international condemnation.

A Cambodian court sentenced 20 former politicians and activists to up to 10 years in prison on Thursday for sedition, a lawyer and a human rights group said, part of a broad crackdown on the opposition that has drawn international condemnation. Sam Rainsy, the self-exiled founder of the disbanded opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), has already been convicted of multiple offences and was among those found guilty on Thursday over remarks the authorities says were tantamount to plotting to overthrow the government. More than 100 opposition members or supporters have been charged with treason and incitement in the past few years in Cambodia, where Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled for 37 years, has been accused of trying crush all challenges to his party's political monopoly. Also read | In Myanmar, Cambodian PM met with a red-carpet welcome and chants of 'We don't need you' Former CNRP leader Kem Sokha is among dozens of people on trial for treason, many of whom are living in exile. The government has denied targeting the opposition and says the trials are not politically motivated. Rainsy, Hun Sen's biggest rival, who fled to France for fear of persecution in 2015, said the justice system was corrupt. "The will for democratic change which the Cambodian people have demonstrated on every available occasion is impossible to extinguish. Opposing dictatorship is a duty, not a crime," he said in an email, when asked about his conviction. Seven senior CNRP members were tried in absentia and sentenced to 10 years in prison while 13 of its supporters, who were in custody, were each ordered to serve three years and eight months in prison, defence lawyer Sam Sokong said. Also read | China continues construction at Ream Naval base in Cambodia He said the case was politically motivated and all his clients were guilty of was voicing their support for Rainsy to return. "What (our clients) said was just a right to express opinions as guaranteed by the constitution," he said. Plang Sophal, the court's deputy prosecutor, said he was unaware of the case and declined to comment. New York-based Human Rights Watch called for international condemnation of the convictions, which it said amounted to a "witch hunt that discredits both the Cambodian government and the country's courts". Watch | China is funding construction work at Cambodia's Ream Naval base

Cambodia jails more opposition politicians for sedition

The top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia has said that "all options are on the table" for charging members of the violent pro-Trump mob that stormed the US Capitol, including sedition charges.

Michael Sherwin, acting US attorney for DC, said prosecutors plan to file 15 federal cases on Thursday for crimes including unauthorised access and theft of property, and investigators are combing through reams of evidence to bring additional charges.

"All of those charges are on the table. We will bring the most maximum charges we can," he said.

More than 90 people have been arrested by police in Washington and more arrests are likely.

US attorneys from across the country have vowed to find and bring to justice any residents who participated in the insurrection aimed at thwarting the peaceful transfer of power.

Experts say some could face the rarely used seditious conspiracy charge.

It's the the same charge former Attorney General William Barr's Justice Department told prosecutors to consider levying against those who caused violence at protests last summer over the killings of black Americans by police.

Then-Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, who stepped into the top Justice Department job when Barr resigned last month, told prosecutors in a memo in September that they should consider the use of seditious conspiracy charges against violent demonstrators, saying "it does not require proof of a plot to overthrow the US government despite what the name might suggest."

Asserting that those responsible for the violence at the US Capitol will "face the full consequences of their actions", Acting Attorney General Jeffery Rosen said some participants in the violence will face charges on Thursday.

"The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that those responsible for this attack on our Government and the rule of law face the full consequences of their actions under the law," Rosen said.

"Some participants in yesterday's violence will be charged today," Rosen said.

Department's criminal prosecutors have been working throughout the night with special agents and investigators from the US Capitol Police, FBI, ATF, Metropolitan Police Department and the public to gather the evidence, identify perpetrators, and charge federal crimes where warranted, said the Acting Attorney General.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said the violence and destruction of property at the US Capitol building showed a blatant and appalling disregard for our institutions of government and the orderly administration of the democratic process.

"Let me assure the American people the FBI has deployed our full investigative resources and is working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to aggressively pursue those involved in criminal activity during the events of January 6.

"Our agents and analysts have been hard at work through the night gathering evidence, sharing intelligence, and working with federal prosecutors to bring charge," Wray said.

"What transpired on Wednesday was "tragic and sickening," said Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf.

"While I have consistently condemned political violence on both sides of the aisle, specifically violence directed at law enforcement, we now see some supporters of the President using violence as a means to achieve political ends. This is unacceptable," he said.

"These violent actions are unconscionable, and I implore the President and all elected officials to strongly condemn the violence that took place yesterday," Chad said.

US Ambassador to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison, in an open letter to NATO allies said that there can be no justification for the appalling invasion of our US Capitol building.

"There can be no minimisation or hiding of the disgraceful acts we watched unfold," she said.

The top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia has said that "all options are on the table" for charging members of the violent pro-Trump mob that stormed the US Capitol, including sedition charges.

The top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia has said that "all options are on the table" for charging members of the violent pro-Trump mob that stormed the US Capitol, including sedition charges. Michael Sherwin, acting US attorney for DC, said prosecutors plan to file 15 federal cases on Thursday for crimes including unauthorised access and theft of property, and investigators are combing through reams of evidence to bring additional charges. "All of those charges are on the table. We will bring the most maximum charges we can," he said. More than 90 people have been arrested by police in Washington and more arrests are likely. US attorneys from across the country have vowed to find and bring to justice any residents who participated in the insurrection aimed at thwarting the peaceful transfer of power. Experts say some could face the rarely used seditious conspiracy charge. It's the the same charge former Attorney General William Barr's Justice Department told prosecutors to consider levying against those who caused violence at protests last summer over the killings of black Americans by police. Then-Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, who stepped into the top Justice Department job when Barr resigned last month, told prosecutors in a memo in September that they should consider the use of seditious conspiracy charges against violent demonstrators, saying "it does not require proof of a plot to overthrow the US government despite what the name might suggest." Asserting that those responsible for the violence at the US Capitol will "face the full consequences of their actions", Acting Attorney General Jeffery Rosen said some participants in the violence will face charges on Thursday. "The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that those responsible for this attack on our Government and the rule of law face the full consequences of their actions under the law," Rosen said. "Some participants in yesterday's violence will be charged today," Rosen said. Department's criminal prosecutors have been working throughout the night with special agents and investigators from the US Capitol Police, FBI, ATF, Metropolitan Police Department and the public to gather the evidence, identify perpetrators, and charge federal crimes where warranted, said the Acting Attorney General. FBI Director Christopher Wray said the violence and destruction of property at the US Capitol building showed a blatant and appalling disregard for our institutions of government and the orderly administration of the democratic process. "Let me assure the American people the FBI has deployed our full investigative resources and is working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to aggressively pursue those involved in criminal activity during the events of January 6. "Our agents and analysts have been hard at work through the night gathering evidence, sharing intelligence, and working with federal prosecutors to bring charge," Wray said. "What transpired on Wednesday was "tragic and sickening," said Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf. "While I have consistently condemned political violence on both sides of the aisle, specifically violence directed at law enforcement, we now see some supporters of the President using violence as a means to achieve political ends. This is unacceptable," he said. "These violent actions are unconscionable, and I implore the President and all elected officials to strongly condemn the violence that took place yesterday," Chad said. US Ambassador to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison, in an open letter to NATO allies said that there can be no justification for the appalling invasion of our US Capitol building. "There can be no minimisation or hiding of the disgraceful acts we watched unfold," she said.

Capitol violence: US administration mulls sedition charge possible for pro-Trump rioters

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif continued to face sedition charges as all senior leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) were declared innocent. The case is registered with Shahdara Police in Lahore. As per Dawn, the decision to declare seniors leaders of PML-N innocent was taken late on Saturday by the police. 41 senior leaders of PML-N have been named in the FIR besides Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz.

Nawaz Sharif now faces sedition charges alone: Police drop cases against PML-N members

After three years of investigation that has involved the recording of evidence from a number of eyewitnesses and the verification of the authenticity of video recordings showing the accused inciting a mob of students and shouting anti-India slogans in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus, the Special Cell of Delhi Police’s anti-terrorism wing has filed the charge sheet at the Patiala House Court in Delhi.&nbsp;

The chargesheet names Kanhaiya Kumar, the former JNU Students’ Union President, and seven others including Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya of sedition and conspiracy.&nbsp;

Kanhaiya was in Tihar Jail for two weeks in 2016 in the same connection and was later granted interim bail. Coinciding with the JNU incident, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who was party vice president then, was shown black flags when he went to attend a “Save JNU” rally and express solidarity with the students accused of challenging India’s sovereignty and integrity by raising slogans to break the country.&nbsp;

From their posture, it is obvious that the opposition parties have decided to use the JNU campus as a fertile ground to take on the ruling BJP on the issue of nationalism in the coming parliamentary election. Instead of allowing the police to handle the matter as a law and order issue, the opposition parties are playing with fire as they have failed to denounce those who raised anti-India slogans and wanted to declare terrorist Afzal Guru a martyr. It is not a minor issue and has serious implications.

Earlier, there was allegedly a celebration by a section of students and some outsiders in JNU when in a Maoist attack 76 CRPF men were killed near Chintalnar village in Dantewada district in 2010. Three years ago, there was this rally of anti-national elements shouting slogans against India and in support of “Azadi” of Kashmir. This event, organised to protest against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in defiance of a University order denying permission for any such activity, was led by Kanhaiya, who as a student leader has been associated with All India Students Federation (AISF), a left-wing students organisation linked with the Communist Party of India (CPI).

Significantly, the Leftists have commanded the students’ politics in JNU for several decades. It was only in 1978 that their stranglehold had got broken with the historic victory of the 'Free Thinkers' in the JNUSU election. To understand the hegemony of the Left in JNU, one would have to take a close look at the modus operandi of the students’ wings of the CPI and CPI(M). As JNU alumni, one recalls how in the late ‘70s, the SFI and AISF cadres (senior students) were following a time tested strategy to flock around the new students from the word go, i.e. from the time they landed for their entrance test.&nbsp;

After befriending and winning their confidence, these students used to temporarily host a large number of the new students in their hostel rooms; they acted as guides and took them around the library, canteen and different administrative blocks and centres scattered around the old campus.

After that, they followed the strategy of brainwashing and bombarding the ‘freshers’or the newcomers with Leftist jargons and theory to convince them about the "inevitability of class war, and the uprising by the proletariat against the exploiting ruling elite, the capitalists and the bourgeoisie”.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

After three years of investigation that has involved the recording of evidence from a number of eyewitnesses and the verification of the authenticity of video recordings showing the accused inciting a mob of students and shouting anti-India slogans in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus, the Special Cell of Delhi Police’s anti-terrorism wing has filed the charge sheet at the Patiala House Court in Delhi.

After three years of investigation that has involved the recording of evidence from a number of eyewitnesses and the verification of the authenticity of video recordings showing the accused inciting a mob of students and shouting anti-India slogans in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus, the Special Cell of Delhi Police’s anti-terrorism wing has filed the charge sheet at the Patiala House Court in Delhi. The chargesheet names Kanhaiya Kumar, the former JNU Students’ Union President, and seven others including Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya of sedition and conspiracy. Kanhaiya was in Tihar Jail for two weeks in 2016 in the same connection and was later granted interim bail. Coinciding with the JNU incident, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who was party vice president then, was shown black flags when he went to attend a “Save JNU” rally and express solidarity with the students accused of challenging India’s sovereignty and integrity by raising slogans to break the country. From their posture, it is obvious that the opposition parties have decided to use the JNU campus as a fertile ground to take on the ruling BJP on the issue of nationalism in the coming parliamentary election. Instead of allowing the police to handle the matter as a law and order issue, the opposition parties are playing with fire as they have failed to denounce those who raised anti-India slogans and wanted to declare terrorist Afzal Guru a martyr. It is not a minor issue and has serious implications. Earlier, there was allegedly a celebration by a section of students and some outsiders in JNU when in a Maoist attack 76 CRPF men were killed near Chintalnar village in Dantewada district in 2010. Three years ago, there was this rally of anti-national elements shouting slogans against India and in support of “Azadi” of Kashmir. This event, organised to protest against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in defiance of a University order denying permission for any such activity, was led by Kanhaiya, who as a student leader has been associated with All India Students Federation (AISF), a left-wing students organisation linked with the Communist Party of India (CPI). Significantly, the Leftists have commanded the students’ politics in JNU for several decades. It was only in 1978 that their stranglehold had got broken with the historic victory of the 'Free Thinkers' in the JNUSU election. To understand the hegemony of the Left in JNU, one would have to take a close look at the modus operandi of the students’ wings of the CPI and CPI(M). As JNU alumni, one recalls how in the late ‘70s, the SFI and AISF cadres (senior students) were following a time tested strategy to flock around the new students from the word go, i.e. from the time they landed for their entrance test. After befriending and winning their confidence, these students used to temporarily host a large number of the new students in their hostel rooms; they acted as guides and took them around the library, canteen and different administrative blocks and centres scattered around the old campus. After that, they followed the strategy of brainwashing and bombarding the ‘freshers’or the newcomers with Leftist jargons and theory to convince them about the "inevitability of class war, and the uprising by the proletariat against the exploiting ruling elite, the capitalists and the bourgeoisie”. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

JNU sedition row: Police chargesheet is backed with firm evidence

Spain&#39;s state prosecutor on Monday called for rebellion and sedition charges to be brought against Catalonia&#39;s leaders over their push to separate from Spain.

Attorney-General Jose Manuel Maza also called for charges of misuse of funds to be laid.&nbsp;Under Spain&#39;s legal system, the request goes to a judge for consideration.

Maza asked the judge to call the secessionist leaders to testify.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Spain&#39;s control over&nbsp;Catalonia&nbsp;will be tested on Monday (October 30) when politicians and civil servants return to work amid uncertainty over whether they will accept direct rule imposed by the central government to stop the region&#39;s independence bid.

Spain&#39;s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy assumed direct control of the region on Friday (October 27). He sacked its secessionist government and called a snap election for Dec. 21.

The main civic group behind the pro-independence campaign have called for widespread civil disobedience and have given detailed instructions to the around 200,000 civil servants working for the Catalan region of how they should behave.

Most of them start their working day at 9 a.m. (0800 GMT) and, if too many did not turn up or decided not to accept instructions, it would cast important doubts over the Spanish government&#39;s strategy to draw a line under a one-month crisis that has dented economic growth and fuelled social unrest.

It is also not clear if senior government officials and lawmakers who declared the region&#39;s independence from Spain on Friday would try to gain access to their offices and if the Catalan police Mossos d&#39;Esquadra would prevent them.

At&nbsp;Catalonia&#39;s finance ministry security was minimal and civil servants arrived to start the work week on Monday without disruption.

Attorney-General Jose Manuel Maza also called for charges of misuse of funds to be laid.?Under Spain's legal system, the request goes to a judge for consideration.

Spain's state prosecutor on Monday called for rebellion and sedition charges to be brought against Catalonia's leaders over their push to separate from Spain. Attorney-General Jose Manuel Maza also called for charges of misuse of funds to be laid. Under Spain's legal system, the request goes to a judge for consideration. Maza asked the judge to call the secessionist leaders to testify. Meanwhile, Spain's control over Catalonia will be tested on Monday (October 30) when politicians and civil servants return to work amid uncertainty over whether they will accept direct rule imposed by the central government to stop the region's independence bid. Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy assumed direct control of the region on Friday (October 27). He sacked its secessionist government and called a snap election for Dec. 21. The main civic group behind the pro-independence campaign have called for widespread civil disobedience and have given detailed instructions to the around 200,000 civil servants working for the Catalan region of how they should behave. Most of them start their working day at 9 a.m. (0800 GMT) and, if too many did not turn up or decided not to accept instructions, it would cast important doubts over the Spanish government's strategy to draw a line under a one-month crisis that has dented economic growth and fuelled social unrest. It is also not clear if senior government officials and lawmakers who declared the region's independence from Spain on Friday would try to gain access to their offices and if the Catalan police Mossos d'Esquadra would prevent them. At Catalonia's finance ministry security was minimal and civil servants arrived to start the work week on Monday without disruption.

Spain's prosecutor pushes for sedition charges against Catalan leaders

What the law states 
 
Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise,&nbsp; brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government established by law in India, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years,&nbsp; to which fine may be added, or with fine.

Explanation 1&mdash; The expression &ldquo;disaffection&rdquo; includes disloyalty and all feelings of enmity.

Explanation 2&mdash; Comments expressing disapproval of the measures of the government with a view to obtaining their alteration by lawful means, without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this section.

Explanation 3 &mdash; Comments expressing disapproval of the administrative or other action of the Government, without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this section.

Timeline

1860: The sedition law didn&#39;t feature in the original draft of the Indian penal code as drafted by Thomas Macaulay, the leading member of the law commission in India

1870: Sedition law (S124-A) incorporated in the Indian penal code

1891: First case: Trial of Jogendra Chandra Bose, the editor of Bangabasi, for criticising&nbsp;the Age of Consent Bill. Proceedings dropped after he apologised

1897: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the prominent Indian nationalist from Bombay Presidency (present day Maharashtra state), was charged with incitement speech&nbsp;which, the British government of India claimed, led to the murder of two police officers - Commissioner WC Rand and Lieutenant Ayherst - who were heading the Special Plague Committee at that time. Tilak was sent to prison for 18 months

1908: In his newspaper Kesari, Tilak defended two young revolutionaries Prafulla Chaki and Khudiram Bose who threw a bomb onto a carriage and killed two women instead the Chief Presidency Magistrate Douglas Kingsford

1908-1914: Tilak was sentenced to prison&nbsp;at Mandalay in Burma

1922:&nbsp; Mahatma Gandhi along with Shankerlal Banker - the proprietor of Young India - were slammed with sedition charges for three articles published in the weekly

1942: In the case between Niharendu Dutt Majumdar vs the King-Emperor,&nbsp;Chief Justice Sir Maurice Gwyer (1937-43) stated that public disorder and violence are the essential ingredients of sedition. Thus, it is a law made in the interest of public order under Article 19 (2) and hence can place a reasonable restriction on the fundamental right of freedom of speech

1947: In King-Emperor vs&nbsp;Sadashiv Narayan Bhalerao, the viewpoint of Maurice Gwyer was rejected by the Privy Council&nbsp;that relied upon Tilak&#39;s case to hold that incitement to violence was not a necessary precondition towards constituting the crime of sedition

1947-1950: Framers of the Indian Constitution did not accept the broad definition of sedition enunciated by the Privy Council in the Sadashiv Narain Bhalerao case&nbsp;but, instead, limited it to speech undermining the security of the State&nbsp;

1950: In Tara Singh Gopi Chand vs The State, the Punjab Haryana High Court bench declared that 124-A is void, contravening&nbsp;the right of freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 of the Constitution

1958: Allahabad High Court in Ram Nandan vs State passed a judgment, declaring section 124-A as unconstitutional

1962: The Supreme Court of India upheld the constitutional validity of the law in Kedarnath Singh vs&nbsp;State of Bihar, in line with the decision in the Niharendu Dutt Majumdar case

1995:&nbsp; In Balwant Singh vs the State of Punjab, the Supreme Court reversed the convictions of some men who had raised a &#39;Khalistan Zindabaad!&#39; slogan on the lines that the slogans neither evoked any response nor any reaction from anyone in the public

Situation in the UK

UK had no convictions charged with the law since 1972 and finally abolished the law in 2009

New Zealand repealed the law in 2007

Overview of Sedition laws in India

Prevention of Seditious Meetings Act of 1911, which was used by the British rulers to stifle dissent, is still in India statute books&nbsp;

Number of people charged with sedition in India:&nbsp; At least 183&nbsp;

Prominent cases of Sedition

2010: Arundhati Roy and&nbsp;Syed Ali Shah Geelani were booked under the sedition law for making &quot;anti-India&quot; speech&nbsp;

2010: Binayak Sen, a doctor and human rights activist, was charged with sedition for having links with the Maoist rebels

2012: Cartoonist Aseem Trivedi was arrested over his political cartoons&nbsp;

2012: 11 protesters were charged for protesting against Kundankulam Nuclear Power Project

2015:&nbsp; Hardik Patel was booked in Surat under the charges of sedition over alleged remarks about &#39;killing cops&#39;

2016: &nbsp;Kanhaiya Kumar,&nbsp;Umar Khalid among other Jawaharlal Nehru University students, were charged with sedition

16th August 2016: Amnesty International India is charged with sedition

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The sedition law is an old chestnut in the Indian legal system, which dates back to colonial times

What the law states Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government established by law in India, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine. Explanation 1— The expression “disaffection” includes disloyalty and all feelings of enmity. Explanation 2— Comments expressing disapproval of the measures of the government with a view to obtaining their alteration by lawful means, without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this section. Explanation 3 — Comments expressing disapproval of the administrative or other action of the Government, without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this section. Timeline 1860: The sedition law didn't feature in the original draft of the Indian penal code as drafted by Thomas Macaulay, the leading member of the law commission in India 1870: Sedition law (S124-A) incorporated in the Indian penal code 1891: First case: Trial of Jogendra Chandra Bose, the editor of Bangabasi, for criticising the Age of Consent Bill. Proceedings dropped after he apologised 1897: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the prominent Indian nationalist from Bombay Presidency (present day Maharashtra state), was charged with incitement speech which, the British government of India claimed, led to the murder of two police officers - Commissioner WC Rand and Lieutenant Ayherst - who were heading the Special Plague Committee at that time. Tilak was sent to prison for 18 months 1908: In his newspaper Kesari, Tilak defended two young revolutionaries Prafulla Chaki and Khudiram Bose who threw a bomb onto a carriage and killed two women instead the Chief Presidency Magistrate Douglas Kingsford 1908-1914: Tilak was sentenced to prison at Mandalay in Burma 1922: Mahatma Gandhi along with Shankerlal Banker - the proprietor of Young India - were slammed with sedition charges for three articles published in the weekly 1942: In the case between Niharendu Dutt Majumdar vs the King-Emperor, Chief Justice Sir Maurice Gwyer (1937-43) stated that public disorder and violence are the essential ingredients of sedition. Thus, it is a law made in the interest of public order under Article 19 (2) and hence can place a reasonable restriction on the fundamental right of freedom of speech 1947: In King-Emperor vs Sadashiv Narayan Bhalerao, the viewpoint of Maurice Gwyer was rejected by the Privy Council that relied upon Tilak's case to hold that incitement to violence was not a necessary precondition towards constituting the crime of sedition 1947-1950: Framers of the Indian Constitution did not accept the broad definition of sedition enunciated by the Privy Council in the Sadashiv Narain Bhalerao case but, instead, limited it to speech undermining the security of the State 1950: In Tara Singh Gopi Chand vs The State, the Punjab Haryana High Court bench declared that 124-A is void, contravening the right of freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 of the Constitution 1958: Allahabad High Court in Ram Nandan vs State passed a judgment, declaring section 124-A as unconstitutional 1962: The Supreme Court of India upheld the constitutional validity of the law in Kedarnath Singh vs State of Bihar, in line with the decision in the Niharendu Dutt Majumdar case 1995: In Balwant Singh vs the State of Punjab, the Supreme Court reversed the convictions of some men who had raised a 'Khalistan Zindabaad!' slogan on the lines that the slogans neither evoked any response nor any reaction from anyone in the public Situation in the UK UK had no convictions charged with the law since 1972 and finally abolished the law in 2009 New Zealand repealed the law in 2007 Overview of Sedition laws in India Prevention of Seditious Meetings Act of 1911, which was used by the British rulers to stifle dissent, is still in India statute books Number of people charged with sedition in India: At least 183 Prominent cases of Sedition 2010: Arundhati Roy and Syed Ali Shah Geelani were booked under the sedition law for making "anti-India" speech 2010: Binayak Sen, a doctor and human rights activist, was charged with sedition for having links with the Maoist rebels 2012: Cartoonist Aseem Trivedi was arrested over his political cartoons 2012: 11 protesters were charged for protesting against Kundankulam Nuclear Power Project 2015: Hardik Patel was booked in Surat under the charges of sedition over alleged remarks about 'killing cops' 2016: Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid among other Jawaharlal Nehru University students, were charged with sedition 16th August 2016: Amnesty International India is charged with sedition

Sedition in India: A ready reckoner

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