All posts tagged: Amnesty

Mumbai: BMC panel to table amnesty scheme today for issuing occupation certificates to housing societies

Mumbai: BMC panel to table amnesty scheme today for issuing occupation certificates to housing societies

Published by Parlour News

In a significant move, the Mumbai Civic body, also known as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), is expected to table a key policy framework, or amnesty scheme, on April 8, to grant occupation certificates (OCs) to thousands of housing societies in Mumbai that are yet to obtain them, sources told Hindustan Times Real Estate. Mumbai real estate: The Mumbai Civic body, also known as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), is expected to table a key policy framework, or amnesty scheme, on April 8 to grant OC to thousands of housing societies in Mumbai. (Picture for representational purposes only) (Gemini Generated Photo ) In September 2025, the Maharashtra government announced that it would issue a policy with rules and processes for housing societies to obtain an OC. What is BMC’s Amnesty Scheme for obtaining OC? The scheme will allow the legalisation of housing societies with an OC upon payment of the applicable charges. The charges will vary based on the type, size, and extent of approval and violations. The aim is to ensure all housing societies …

Russia bans Amnesty International, escalating crackdown on rights groups

Russia bans Amnesty International, escalating crackdown on rights groups

Published by Webster

Russia has banned Amnesty International, declaring it an “undesirable organisation” under a 2015 law that criminalizes cooperation with such entities. The move, announced by the Prosecutor General’s office, forces the global human rights group to cease all operations in Russia. Moscow: Russian authorities on Monday designated Amnesty International as an “undesirable organisation,” effectively banning the human rights group from operating in the country under a 2015 law that criminalizes involvement with such entities. The move, announced by the Russian Prosecutor General’s office in an online statement, marks the latest step in a sweeping crackdown on dissent, which has intensified significantly since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The designation forces Amnesty International to cease all operations in Russia and exposes those who collaborate with or support the group to potential prosecution. Amnesty International, founded in 1961, is known for its global human rights advocacy, including reports on Russia’s war in Ukraine, where it has accused Moscow of committing crimes against humanity. The group has also repeatedly condemned the Kremlin’s suppression of political opposition, independent media, …

Probe Agency Raids George Soros’ Foundation, Amnesty, Linked NGOs

Probe Agency Raids George Soros’ Foundation, Amnesty, Linked NGOs

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New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday searched the offices of George Soros‘ foundation, the Open Soros Foundation, and non-governmental organisations linked to the OSF, including Amnesty. Officials said the searches are linked to an ongoing FEMA, or Foreign Exchange Management Act, case. Premised of former employees of Amnesty International (whose India operations shut down in December 2020, after the government froze its bank accounts alleging illegal foreign funding) were searched, as were those of current employees of Human Rights Watch, or HRW. Amnesty’s India office and HRW both reportedly received funds from the OSF in the past. The former has been charge-sheeted by the CBI and the ED has filed a complaint against the latter. In 2022 Amnesty’s India chief, Aakar Patel was fined Rs 10 crore (and the NGO itself Rs 51.72 crore) for contravening the foreign exchange law, or the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. The OSF, which began its India ops in 1999, has not yet responded. In 2016 the Union Home Ministry put the foundation on a ‘watchlist’ – meaning it now …

Amnesty, FIR & ban part of Draft Bill to counter age-fraud in Indian sports | Sport-others News

Amnesty, FIR & ban part of Draft Bill to counter age-fraud in Indian sports | Sport-others News

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A one-time amnesty for age-cheaters, FIRs for a second age- fraud, a secure whistleblower platform to report such violations, compliance officers in every state, and ID cards with QR codes that act as age proof: these are some of the features listed in the draft National Code Against Age Fraud in Sports (NCAAFS) 2025 to take on this particular menace in Indian sports. Age fraud has been one of the biggest problems facing Indian sports for a long time. The Draft NCAAFS 2025 was made public by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Wednesday in a bid to invite comments and suggestions from the general public and stakeholders till March 31. The Draft Bill states that for a first violation, athletes could face a two-year ban across all competitions besides forfeiture of the medals, titles, and benefits earned fraudulently. For the second one, an athlete will face a permanent ban from competitive sports, besides having an FIR registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Story continues below this ad However, the draft does …

Shoes, caps, boots ‘surrendered’ for Manipur’s weapons amnesty | Latest News India

Shoes, caps, boots ‘surrendered’ for Manipur’s weapons amnesty | Latest News India

Published by Parlour News

Around 17% of the arms looted from armouries around the state in May 2023 and the months that followed; country made mortars and bombs; walkie talkie sets; shoes; airguns; and a knee-cap and a sleeping bag: these are among the looted weapons surrendered during the two-week long amnesty offered by Manipur governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla between February 20 and March 6. With the bulk of the weapons still in hands of civilians and militant groups, security forces are awaiting the governor’s directions on the future course of actions. (ANI) Security officials familiar with the matter said that not all of the 1,077 weapons surrendered till Friday morning were among those looted, suggesting that many of the 6,500 weapons and 600,000 rounds of ammunition looted from armouries are still with civilians and militant groups. The weapons were looted following the breakout of ethnic violence in the state at different times in May, June and August 2023. The most recent was on February 9, 2025 when mobs looted at least nine guns and ammunition in the state’s …

Govt plans amnesty scheme for defaulting plot owners | Chandigarh News

Govt plans amnesty scheme for defaulting plot owners | Chandigarh News

Published by Parlour News

In a relief for owners of industrial, commercial, and residential plots who have defaulted on instalments or failed to complete construction on land allotted by Punjab’s Housing Department, the government has drawn up an amnesty scheme. The initiative aims to assist defaulters while also boosting state revenue. The scheme, set to be tabled in the upcoming Cabinet meeting, will be rolled out after approval. It will apply to plot owners across all urban estates in Punjab. The major beneficiaries include residential plot owners, IT industry players, hospital owners, and mall developers who have not completed construction within the stipulated time. These owners were facing the risk of plot resumption by the authorities. Story continues below this ad Urban development authorities—including the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority, Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority, Patiala Development Authority, Bathinda Development Authority, Amritsar Development Authority, and Jalandhar Development Authority—had allotted plots on instalments. Many allottees failed to pay their dues and now risk losing their plots unless they clear outstanding payments, including interest and penalties. “The default amount is around …

Dozens dead in Israeli strikes on Gaza; Palestinians say Amnesty ‘genocide’ declaration comes too late | News Today News

Dozens dead in Israeli strikes on Gaza; Palestinians say Amnesty ‘genocide’ declaration comes too late | News Today News

Published by Parlour News

The Israeli military killed at least 39 Palestinians in strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight, medics said on Thursday, including at least 20 in an attack that set ablaze tents sheltering displaced families in a crowded camp. Residents carried a body wrapped in carpets out of the charred wreckage of the makeshift shelters in Mawasi, near the beach west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where tens of thousands of people have sheltered for months. Israel calls the area a humanitarian zone and has long told people to go there for their safety. Mourners said the latest attacks demonstrated that a new declaration from international human rights group Amnesty International that Israel was guilty of genocide in Gaza – strongly rejected by Israel – had come too late. Gaza medics said the 20 confirmed dead in the Israeli strike there included women and children. Israel said the strike targeted senior Hamas operatives, whom it did not identify. The strike set several large tents ablaze, and the fire was worsened by the explosion of cooking gas …

Amnesty FCRA ‘violations’ | CBI files supplementary charge sheet

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Representational image of a person walking past the Amnesty International logo | Photo Credit: Reuters The CBI has filed a supplementary charge sheet in connection with its probe against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd and its then executive director Aakar Patel for alleged FCRA violations in which it is understood to have given details about the role of other directors and signatories, officials said on Tuesday. The agency filed the charge sheet nearly 23 months after the first report against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL) and Patel, registered on January 7, 2022, in a special court here. In its recent supplementary report, the agency has charge-sheeted eight entities, including Mr. Patel, AIIPL, Indians For Amnesty International Trust (IAIT), the then directors of AIIPL Shobha Mathai, Nandini Anand Basappa, Minar Vasudeo Pimple, head of operations of AIIPL Mohan Premananda Mundkur and its authorised signatory Raj Kishor Kapil under Indian Penal Code section 120B (criminal conspiracy) and sections 11 (1), 35 and 39 (2) of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. While going through the submissions …

Elon Musk Says Twitter Will Grant ‘General Amnesty’ for Suspended Accounts From Next Week

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Elon Musk said on Thursday that Twitter will provide a “general amnesty” to suspended accounts starting next week after running a poll on whether to do so for users who had not broken the law or engaged in egregious spam. In a poll Musk posted on Twitter on Wednesday, 72.4 percent of the more than 3.16 million users who took part voted in favour of bringing back those who had been suspended by the social media platform. “The people have spoken,” Musk, who acquired Twitter last month, tweeted on Thursday. “Amnesty begins next week.” Last week, Musk, the world’s richest person, reinstated some previously suspended accounts, including former US President Donald Trump, satirical website Babylon Bee and comedian Kathy Griffin. He tweeted in October that Twitter would form a content moderation council “with widely diverse viewpoints.” Musk said no major content decisions or account reinstatements would happen before the council convened. Change and chaos have marked the billionaire’s first few weeks as Twitter’s owner. He has fired top managers, including former Chief Executive Parag Agarwal, …

Elon Musk Polls Users on ‘General Amnesty’ for Suspended Twitter Accounts

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New Twitter owner Elon Musk on Wednesday polled users on whether the site should offer a general amnesty to suspended accounts, using the same method he used to handle the case of Donald Trump. The move comes as Musk has faced pushback that his criteria for content moderation is subject to his personal whim, with reinstatements decided for certain accounts and not others. “Should Twitter offer a general amnesty to suspended accounts, provided that they have not broken the law or engaged in egregious spam?” Musk asked in a tweet. Should Twitter offer a general amnesty to suspended accounts, provided that they have not broken the law or engaged in egregious spam? — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 23, 2022 The poll was open until 17:46 GMT (11:16 IST) on Thursday and mimicked the strategy used just days ago for the former US president Trump. Trump’s Twitter account was reinstated Saturday after a narrow majority of respondents supported the move. Polls on Twitter are open to all users and are unscientific and potentially targeted by fake accounts and …