Human Rights

07 Oct 2021; MEMO: The Israeli-based NSO Group ended its contract with the United Arab Emirates to use its powerful Pegasus state spyware tool because Dubai's ruler was using it to hack the phones of his estranged wife and that of her lawyers, her lawyers told England's High Court yesterday, Reuters reports.

07 Oct 2021; MEMO: The Egyptian authorities yesterday announced the release of 3,886 prisoners on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the 6 October 1973 war.

"Prisoner files were examined nationwide before determining those who deserved to be pardoned," said the interior ministry." The process was concluded with the release of 3,886 prisoners." Those being released, the ministry added, are being transferred to police stations in preparation for their release.

Mumbai, Oct 6 (PTI) The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alleged on Wednesday that the NCB's raid on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast on October 2 was fake , and no narcotic drugs were found during it.

The party also questioned the presence of two persons along with the NCB team during the raid, and alleged that one of them was a BJP member.

Siddharthnagar (UP), Oct 7 (PTI) A 55-year-old man was shot dead while offering namaz at a mosque in a village here Thursday, police said.

The incident took place in Kolua village in the Chilia area.

An unidentified person fired at Kamruzzama from behind when he was reciting Quran after "azan" about 5 am, Additional Superintendent of Police (SP), Suresh Chand Rawat said.

Later, police reached the spot and sent the body for postmortem.

A detailed probe in the matter is on.

No arrests have been made in this case so far.

06 Oct 2021; MEMO: Claims being made against Muslim Brotherhood leaders in Egypt are "contradictory", Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported a defence attorney saying yesterday.

Calling for his client, former acting Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood Mahmoud Ezzat, to be acquitted, Muntaser Al-Zayyat said the claims against him "are contradictory and lack material proofs."

The Egyptian Public Prosecution set 19 December for Izzat's retrial on charges of "spying with Hamas".

06 Oct 2021; MEMO: Hamas and Egypt agreed to strengthen the ongoing ceasefire between the Palestinian resistance and Israeli occupation, Anadolu reported yesterday.

The news service reported an informed source as saying that the two sides also agreed to accelerate the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which suffered massive destruction during the latest Israeli offensive in May.

New Delhi, Oct 5 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party claimed that its MP Sanjay Singh and some other party leaders were arrested while trying to go to Lakhimpur Kheri on Tuesday to meet the families of the victims killed during a farmers' protest recently.

However, there was no statement on the issue by the authorities.

New Delhi, Oct 6 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Wednesday urged the Supreme Court to suo motu act on the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed.

"Supreme Court, there was a time when there was no YouTube, no social media, the Supreme Court acted suo motu on the basis of news in the print media. It heard the voice of the voiceless," Sibal said in a tweet.

New Delhi, Oct 5 (PTI) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday alleged that she was being held illegally at the PAC compound in Sitapur and no notice or FIR has been provided to her even after her 38-hour detention and was not allowed to meet her legal counsel.

In a statement, she said she has not been produced in front of a magistrate or any other judicial officer and neither has she been allowed to meet her legal counsel, who has been standing at the gate of the compound since morning.

05 Oct 2021; MEMO: The President of Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court has sent a message to human rights advocates to stay silent.

"Stay quiet, it is better for you. Egypt is a leading nation in respecting human rights," Counsellor Said Marei told a TV station in Egypt.