Acclaimed Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga has been convicted of inciting violence by carrying a placard calling for political reform.

The magistrate said the protest could have incited other people to join, and cause a breach of peace.

Ms Dangarembga agreed to pay a fine of about $110 (£100) to avoid serving a three-month jail term.

She had pleaded not guilty in a trial that critics say is the latest sign of a government crackdown on dissent.

This is despite the fact that President Emmerson Mnangagwa took power in 2017 with a promise to introduce reforms after the decades-long repressive rule of his predecessor, Robert Mugabe.

Ms Dangarembga is one of Zimbabwe’s most famous authors. Her novel, This Mournable Body, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, in 2020.

She was convicted along with a friend Julie Barnes.

The pair had walked along a road in the capital, Harare, two years ago, holding placards which called for political reform and the release of two government critics.

The courtroom gasped and the two women stood motionless as the verdict was pronounced.

« Guilty of inciting public violence and breaching the peace, » came the judgement.

The magistrate said that as they protested on a public road, and pictures were shared on social media, others could have been provoked to protest.

The two have until Tuesday to pay the fine. If they reoffend within the next five years they will be jailed for six months.

World Opinions – BBC News

L’article Analysis. Tsitsi Dangarembga: Zimbabwe author convicted over placard protest est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Ye Swan Htet, 23, had joined a sit-down protest on a bridge in west Yangon when he saw police approaching. Officers were carrying guns, he remembered, but he didn’t expect them to actually shoot. The protest was peaceful; crowds were singing and clapping.

Then, gun fire rang out all around him. Bricks burst open and a branch snapped from a tree. “There was a guy who got hit in his thigh by a rubber bullet, so I carried him to an ambulance,” he said.

Ye Swan Htet saw five protesters run frantically towards him. They were carrying his cousin, Nyi Nyi Aung Htet Naing, who had been shot in his lower abdomen.

Doctors in a nearby neighbourhood desperately tried to help, said Ye Swan Htet, but they were unable to save him. A video posted by news outlet Myanmar Now showed his last moments, as he laid motionless outside a school before other protesters, still seemingly under fire, lifted him away.

Nyi Nyi Aung Htet Naing, 23, was one of at least 18 people killed in violence by security forces on Sunday, according to UN estimates. Police, reinforced by notorious military troops, launched their most violent crackdown yet in an attempt to quash protests against the junta.

Streets in downtown Yangon resembled a war zone; the sound of security forces opening fire echoed as live ammunition and stun grenades were deployed against protesters. Footage from various points in the city, shared on social media, showed panicked crowds fleeing to safety. Protesters struggled to breathe as clouds of teargas spread.

World Opinions News / theguardian.com

L’article ‘We have to win’: Myanmar protesters persevere as forces ramp up violence est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Thousands of protesters marched in the Algerian capital and cities across the country to commemorate two years since the beginning of mass protests that culminated weeks later in the departure of longtime President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Demonstrators in central Algiers on Monday chanted slogans against the country’s powerful military and President Abdelmadjid Tebboune as they marched towards the iconic Grand Poste building.

“We are not here to celebrate, we are here to demand your departure,” one placard read.

Security checkpoints created traffic jams across the city, with identity checks carried out around key flashpoints. Several arrests were made.

Police tried to block protesters from gathering around the Grand Poste, the epicentre of protests against Bouteflika.

Elsewhere in the country, marches were being held Monday including in Annaba, Oran, Setif and Mostaganem, according to witnesses and accounts on social media.

Origins of the movement

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets on February 22, 2019, to protest against Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term in office, despite his failing health.

The octogenarian gave in to public pressure, announcing in early April his decision to step down after 20 years in power.

But demonstrations did not stop. People continued staging rallies on a weekly basis to demand a complete overhaul of the political system.

The military, seen by many as the arbiter of power, resisted popular demands for change, pressing ahead with a presidential election in December 2019, which saw Tebboune elected on a record low voter turnout of just under 40 percent.

‘Same old people’

Protesters had only suspended marches last March due to coronavirus restrictions, but calls circulated on social media for a return to the streets from Monday.

On the eve of the anniversary, Tebboune announced a limited government reshuffle, in a bid to head off renewed rallies.

The reshuffle saw few major changes by Tebboune, who was once a prime minister under Bouteflika.

Among those retained are Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad and Justice Minister Belkacem Zeghmati, seen as a symbol of Algeria’s judicial crackdown on protesters and opposition activists.

Tebboune also signed a decree dissolving parliament, clearing the way for early elections, for which no date has yet been set.

World Opinions News – agencies

L’article Algerians mark protest movement anniversary with fresh rallies est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Access to the internet appears to have been blocked for a second night running by Myanmar’s new military rulers.

UK-based monitor NetBlocks reported a « near-total internet shutdown » from 01:00 local time (18:30 GMT) on Tuesday.

It is the fourth shutdown since the 1 February coup as the junta tries to stifle dissent, much of it online.

Earlier, the military authorities announced stiff penalties for those opposing the coup leaders.

Signs that another outage was imminent came after an internet service provider told BBC Burmese that online access was being blocked.

The latest shutdown follows a pattern aimed at disrupting continuing opposition to the coup, which overthrew elected leaders including longtime democracy campaigner, Aung San Suu Kyi, who is still in custody.

Access to Facebook, a rallying point for a campaign of civil disobedience, was restricted soon after the coup. Use of Twitter and Instagram was also disrupted.

Major telecoms provider Telenor has said it will no longer be updating a list on its website of internet disruption. It told AFP news agency that the situation was « confused and unclear » and said that employee safety was a « top priority ».

What is happening on the streets?

The military’s presence is growing. At many strategic locations, soldiers have replaced the police.

In the main city, Yangon, eight-wheeled armoured vehicles have been seen trying to navigate the rush-hour traffic, sometimes surrounded by cars honking in opposition to the coup.

Protests focused on the central bank building, the US and Chinese embassies, and the city headquarters of Ms Su Kyi’s National League for Democracy.

As demonstrators gathered in the central city of Mandalay again on Monday, there were reports of security forces firing rubber bullets to disperse crowds.

In footage posted on social media, the sound of what appears to be gunshots can be heard as crowds flee, with several people later appearing to display injuries.

A leading student activist who has gone into hiding, Myo Ko Ko, told the BBC why he and others were willing to risk their lives.

« We strongly believe in democracy and human rights. We know that it’s risky, » he said.

« I have to move to another place day by day because of being searched (for) by police. We hope the international community will help us. »

World Opinions News – bbc.com

L’article Myanmar coup: Military takes country offline for second night est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

India has accused « foreign individuals » and celebrities of « sensationalism » after a tweet by pop superstar Rihanna, extending support to protesting farmers, drew global attention.

why aren’t we talking about this?! #FarmersProtest https://t.co/obmIlXhK9S

— Rihanna (@rihanna) February 2, 2021

Hours after the singer’s tweet, teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg and the US vice president’s niece Meena Harris also tweeted support for the farmers.

Their widely shared tweets went viral, garnering thousands of responses.

Farmers have been protesting at Delhi’s borders against new farm laws.

In a statement on Wednesday, India’s external affairs ministry said parliament had passed « reformist legislation relating to the agricultural sector » after a full debate and discussion.

« The temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible, » it added.

Rihanna’s tweet on Tuesday linked to a news story about the internet blockade at the protest sites.

why aren’t we talking about this?! #FarmersProtest https://t.co/obmIlXhK9S

— Rihanna (@rihanna) February 2, 2021

India suspended mobile internet services in three areas around the capital, Delhi, where tens of thousands of farmers are camping to protest against the new laws.

The government said the shutdown was to « maintain public safety ».

The protest made international headlines last week when a tractor rally by farmers ended in violent clashes that left one protester dead and dozens of policemen injured.

Some demonstrators stormed Delhi’s historic Red Fort and occupied it until police pushed them back.

Farmers’ groups and union leaders condemned the violence but said they would not call off the protest.

The pop superstar’s tweet to her 101 million followers sent her name to the top of social media trends in India. Her post drew a global outpouring of support.

❤️🙏🏼🏹 https://t.co/FNnxzutVmA

— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) February 2, 2021

Yes! Thank you so much @rihanna. This is a humanity issue! #IStandWithFarmers and this narrative is TIRED. ❤️ https://t.co/H0h5EM7mNW

— Lilly // #LateWithLilly (@Lilly) February 2, 2021

World Opinions Trends – bbc.com

L’article Farmers’ protest: India says Rihanna tweet ‘irresponsible’ est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Russian police have detained thousands of people as protesters took to the streets across the country demanding the release of jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny.

On Sunday, police detained more than 4,000 people at protests in cities nationwide, according to OVD-Info, a group that monitors political arrests.

More than 1,000 people were detained in Moscow. Security forces detained Yulia Navalnaya, wife of Navalny, at a protest in Moscow, his supporters said on social media.

Navalnaya was also detained at a similar demonstration in support of her husband last week.

The first rallies took place in the Far East, including the port city of Vladivostok where protesters gathered in the city’s central square despite police closing it off ahead of the rally.

“The desire to live in a free country is stronger than the fear of being detained,” said Andrei, 25, who declined to give his last name.

Footage from Vladivostok showed dozens of protesters escaping the police on the frozen waters of the Amur Bay and circle dancing. More than 100 arrests were made there.

Police ramp up pressure on opposition with arrests and criminal probes as Navalny allies gather for new protests.

Videos posted online showed demonstrators being hauled into buses by police. The mostly young people were seen dancing and chanting: “Putin is a thief,” and “Freedom for Russia.”

Interior ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk denounced the demonstrators.

“In the current circumstances, the risk of the protests’ … provocations is increasing and their aim is to violate civil order. In this situation, your personal safety can be under threat. We strongly recommend you to warn your underage children, other relatives and acquaintance from participating in the unauthorised events,” she said.

Yulia, a 40-year-old protester in Moscow, said she had come to the protests despite having a panic attack the night before because of worrying about repercussions for taking part.

“I understand that I live in a totally lawless state. In a police state, with no independent courts. In a country ruled by corruption. I would like to live differently,” she said, only giving her first name.

Despite authorities ramping up pressure on the opposition with arrests, Navalny aides called for new nationwide demonstrations ahead of the opposition leader’s trial set to start on Tuesday.

The United States urged Russia to release Navalny and criticised the crackdown on protests.

“The US condemns the persistent use of harsh tactics against peaceful protesters and journalists by Russian authorities for a second week straight,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Twitter.

World Opinions News – agencies

L’article Russia arrests thousands as crackdown on Navalny allies continues est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Politicians know that they have a problem when they have to deny it. On Monday, Vladimir Putin insisted that an extravagant palace on the Black Sea coast did not belong to him, following a video exposé released by the opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, and so far watched by around 90 million people. Footage of him swimming in a giant pool was fake.

Nothing described as his property there either “belongs to or ever belonged to me or my close relatives. Ever”, Mr Putin said. (His opponent has said that the estate formally belongs to four proxies.)

The Russian president and his allies have preferred to publicly ignore Mr Navalny. Now, they are attacking him and his claims head-on, and denouncing the protests he has inspired as illegal and dangerous. Tens of thousands took to the streets in more than 100 cities across the country on Saturday, in the largest show of opposition for years – prompting police to arrest thousands, including Mr Navalny’s wife, Yulia, and many of his allies.

The demonstrations were sparked primarily by Mr Navalny’s arrest on his return to Russia, following treatment in Germany after the suspected FSB assassination attempt. He could be sent to a penal colony, perhaps for years, by the end of this month.

His extraordinary courage, charisma and savvy social media tactics – as well as shock at the novichok poisoning (for which officials say there is no evidence) – have brought support from disparate parts of the Russian opposition, many of whom may not share his broader political outlook. Mr Putin’s approval ratings still appear high, but are well below their peak. Underlying these protests are frustration at poor standards of living and the dismal economic situation, worsened by low oil prices and the pandemic, as well as resentment at corruption and other political abuses. In many places, local issues have fused with wider complaints.

More protests have been called for this weekend, ahead of Mr Navalny’s court hearing. In 2013, he escaped a prison sentence thanks to public pressure. This time, the scale of opposition has rattled the Kremlin, and the uprising that began in Belarus last summer has sharpened anxieties. Mr Navalny, long a nuisance, now looks like a threat. Assaults, pressure on his family, jail and even poisoning have failed to silence him. Keeping him behind bars would keep him quiet, while warning off others. But supporters hope the protests will at least help to maintain attention on his case – and, perhaps, safeguard him while in custody.

The US, EU and UK have rightly called for his immediate and unconditional release. The EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, says that he will press the case in Moscow next month. Whether action results – or amounts to more than largely symbolic sanctions – is another matter. Germany is determined to press ahead with the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, despite growing opposition in Europe and sanctions imposed by the US.

Angela Merkel said last week that the attack on Mr Navalny had not changed her basic view of the project. The UK has done embarrassingly little to crack down on money laundering by close friends of the Kremlin. A damning report from the intelligence and security committee last year called the City of London a “laundromat” for illicit funds. Britain’s unexplained wealth orders – introduced in 2018 – could, and should, be used more effectively.

Russian officials and state media are already busy portraying Mr Navalny as a western stooge, though he has always been careful to keep his distance from foreign governments. Mr Putin’s real problem is not his jailed opponent, but the Russian people whose dissatisfaction he harnesses. Their daily experiences do as much to erode the Kremlin’s authority as Mr Navalny’s viral videos. While the president may prefer to ignore it, there is no denying public discontent.

The Guardian view

L’article View on Russia’s protests: Navalny isn’t Putin’s only problem est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni received a two-year prison term at his appeal hearing on Tuesday, in a trial rights groups have called a test of press freedom in a country recently rocked by anti-government protests.

Drareni, 40, an editor at the Casbah Tribune news site and correspondent for French-language channel TV5 Monde, had been sentenced to three years in jail in August for his coverage of Algeria’s anti-government protests.

The journalist was arrested on March 29 on charges of “inciting an unarmed gathering” and “endangering national unity” after covering demonstrations by the “Hirak” protest movement.

Weekly protests rocked Algeria for more than a year and only came to a halt in March due to the novel coronavirus crisis.

The Algerian judiciary has stepped up prosecutions and convictions of journalists, activists, political opponents and bloggers in recent months.

Some journalists have been accused of sowing discord, threatening national interests and being on the payroll of “foreign parties” with several in prison and trials under way.

Algerian journalist Drareni jailed in test of press freedom after wave of protests

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which had called for Drareni’s release, condemned Tuesday’s verdict.

« We are outraged by the blind stubbornness of the Algerian judges who have just condemned (Drareni) to 2 years in prison, » RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire tweeted after the verdict was announced.

 « Khaled’s detention proves the regime locks itself into a logic of absurd, unfair and violent repression. »

Drareni was tried along with Samir Benlarbi and Slimane Hamitouche, two figures of the protest movement known as « Hirak ». 

Facing the same charges, Benlarbi and Hamitouche were sentenced to four months in prison and released on time served.

World Opinions Freedom – AFP

L’article Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni jailed for two years on appeal est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.