Greta Thunberg Tweeted in Support of Arrested Activist Disha Ravi
New Delhi:
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has extended her support to Disha Ravi, 22, in India, who is in jail for alleged sedition and other charges for editing a “toolkit” that police say was used to conspire against the country for the protest of farmers against the new agricultural laws.
Fridays for Future (FFF), a group founded by Ms Thunberg in August 2018 when she was 15 years old, also tweeted that it would “raise our voices peacefully and respectfully for those at stake, to ensure justice for all.” .
“Freedom of expression and the right to protest and assemble peacefully are non-negotiable human rights. They must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavi,” Ms Thunberg tweeted, seeing a thread posted by FFF about Ravi’s arrest .
Freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate and assemble peacefully are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavihttps://t.co/fhM4Cf1jf1
– Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) February 19, 2021
Delhi police said that two others, Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk, along with Ms Ravi edited the “toolkit” to plan how farmers’ protests should be carried out. Such an act amounts to sedition, police said, amid widespread criticism that such planning is common for any campaign on social media.
The Google Docs file was tweeted by Ms Thunberg earlier this month to support farmers’ protests and was later removed. A tractor demonstration by farmers in Delhi on January 26 had turned violent.
“Disha has been an integral part of this movement. Not only has she voiced her environmental concerns in India, she has fought for equality and representation of the country’s most affected and marginalized groups in the narrative of the global climate movement,” FFF tweeted .
Ms. Ravi’s request for bail will be heard on Saturday. Emphasizing the possibility of “tampering with evidence”, the police today requested three more days of judicial custody for Ms. Ravi.
The Delhi High Court warned the media against sensationalism after Ravi, in a petition, sought action against three news channels and an order to the police not to leak investigative material, including the alleged content of his private conversations. Investigators have denied leaking private conversations to journalists.
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