India: Environmental Activist Arrested for Alleged Conspiracy

India's security forces on Sunday arrested the "Fridays for Future" activist Disha Ravi who was supporting farmers' protest against three pro-corporate laws promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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Delhi Police also intend to arrest Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk, both of whom are accused of drafting with Ravi a document that allegedly seeks to create "disinformation and discontent" against the government.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, writer Arundhati Roy, and 18 other personalities denounced the "absurd accusations" against Ravi and indicated that they seek to criminalize dissent and social protests.

They also denounced that the environmental activist was arrested in the city of Bangalore but was brought before a court in New Delhi and did not have access to a lawyer.

"The Delhi Police actions make a complete mockery of the 'due process of law'," they said and emphasized that her arrest is illegal.

"Supporting farmers is not a crime," said Delhi chief minister and Common Man's Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, who also called Ravi's arrest an "unprecedented attack on democracy".

Since Nov. 2020, thousands of farmers have been camping on the roads leading into New Delhi. On Jan. 26, during a march on the occasion of Republic Day, a farmer was killed due to police repression.

Since last year, Modi has arrested several progressive intellectuals and social activists arguing that they are part of conspiracies against him. Evidence about these alleged conspiracies, however, has never been produced.

"These conspiracies help the government silence critics and keep civil society at bay," said Center for Policy Research (CPR) research associate Asim Ali.