Day: October 5, 2023
Mamuka Mamulashvili, commander of the “Georgian National Legion” fighting in Ukraine, has been placed on Russia’s wanted list for his “alleged involvement in recruitment and participation in hostilities on behalf of the Ukrainian armed forces,” official news agency TASS reported. The legal action is part of a broader criminal case against Mamulashvili and over seventy other fighters of the “Georgian National Legion” the agency says.
The Russian Investigative Committee initiated these charges against Mamulashvili and his associates in late July this year, alleging that Mamulashvili founded the “Georgian National Legion” in 2014 and recruited Georgian immigrants to engage in hostilities against the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).
Mamulashvili on the Georgian Security Service watchlist
The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) recently named Mamuka Mamulashvili as one of the authors of the alleged plot “by individuals inside and outside the country” to foment civil unrest and destabilization in Georgia between October and December, with the ultimate objective of changing the government. The SSSG alleged Mamulashvili was training “groups near the Polish-Ukrainian border” in using arms.
Reacting to the news of being placed on Russia’s wanted list, Mamulashvili said “I’m surprised how they did it earlier than [Georgia’s ruling party] Georgian Dream.” He previously said the accusations by the Georgian security services are, “a directive dictated directly from Russia.”
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The Indian government has been accused of using anti-terror laws and tax raids to target journalists and news outlets that are critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies.
On Tuesday, police in New Delhi raided the homes of several journalists associated with NewsClick, a left-leaning news website known for its scrutiny of the Modi government. Two journalists were arrested and charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a law that is usually invoked to deal with terrorism suspects and makes it nearly impossible to receive bail.
NewsClick said the raids were an attempt to “shut down and stifle independent and fearless voices that portray the story of the real India.” The website also denied allegations that it had spread Chinese propaganda and received funding from a foreign tech mogul.
The raids on NewsClick are the latest in a series of actions against independent media in India under the Modi government, which has been trying to control the national narrative offline and online. In the past year, several news outlets that have exposed the government’s mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic, the communal riots in Delhi, and the farmer’s protest movement have faced tax investigations, legal cases, and online harassment.
Journalists who have questioned or criticized Modi or his right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have also faced threats, abuse, and ostracization.
Media watchdogs and human rights groups have condemned the attacks on press freedom in India and urged the government to respect the constitutional right to free speech and expression. India ranked 142nd out of 180 countries in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders. The organization said India was one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists trying to do their job properly.
МИД Грузии выражает обеспокоенность планами размещения базы ВМФ России в Очамчире. Как указано в заявлении ведомства, подобные действия являются «еще одной провокационной попыткой, направленной на легитимацию незаконной оккупации Абхазии и Цхинвальского региона». «Выражаем обеспокоенность заявлениями российского оккупационного режима в Сухуми о размещении дополнительной российской военной базы на оккупированных территориях Грузии и включении неделимого Абхазского региона […]