IMPHAL, May 13: The first formal charge hearing of Irom Sharmila began on Tuesday at Imphal East Chief Judicial Magistrate Court of A Noutuneshwari . She will be produced before the same court on May 21.
Irom Sharmila has been fasting since 2000 demanding the repeal of AFSPA, 1958 from the state and since then has been put behind bars on charges of attempt to commit suicide under section 309 of the Indian Panel Court.
After the completion of formal charge hearing of day one, Irom Sharmila stated that she believed that she would succeed in getting her just demands and would continue to press forward until the demand(s) were met.
Irom Sharmila denied the charges made on her and said if she were to kill herself she would have done it long time back using other means if hers was an attempt of suicide.
In the formal hearing, the magistrate allowed her to appear on May 27 before the Patiyala court, Delhi accompanied by a doctor, nurse, a police personnel and an IO.
Meanwhille, Irom Sharmila’s counsel Khaidem Mani stated that he urged the court to direct the jail authority to provide her mental and health security, urging the magistrate to discharge her because she can’t be convicted of attempt to commit suicide and is just struggling to safeguard the right to life and liberty as a citizen of India.
Continuing that her demand was the repeal of AFSPA by using non-violence in a democratic way, he said the only way to make her stop the fast is to repeal the draconian act.
Moreover, she has been charged several times with the same charges even though the Indian Constitution doesn’t allow anyone to be prosecuted for the same charges.
