Responding to readers’ views, she issued a clarification denying any intention to hurt religious sentiments and tendered a public clarification the very next day. However, cases have been registered against her in different police stations in Mumbra and Rabodi (Thane district), Malegaon and Mumbai on charges of violating Sec 295 of the Indian Penal Code (outraging religious feelings by insulting a religion with malicious intent).
While she has sought, and obtained, anticipatory bail in one set of cases from Mumbai Additional Sessions Court judge S D Tekale on January 23, she was arrested in Mumbra, Thane district, and granted bail the same day on Jan 28.
The Mumbai based human rights group Hum Azaadiyon Ke Haq Mein is disturbed at the attempts made to defame her character. Baseless statements appeared in several Urdu newspapers that a colleague had tried to dissuade her from using the Charlie Hebdo cover but the colleague identified was actually not even in office on that day and had resigned a few days ago. Other attempts to defame her included statements that she had joined the RSS women’s wing and was a ‘follower’ of Bangladeshi writer in exile Taslima Nasreen!
Shirin Dalvi is a respected journalist with more than 20 years of experience in Urdu journalism. She is perhaps the only woman editor in Urdu journalism in India, has written on issues concerning women’s rights and politics and is well-known for her literary skill and learning.
The manner in which she is being hounded bodes ill for free debate and discussion and for peaceful resolution of controversy. Besides, the incident is also being used as a pretext to ratchet up polarized public opinion, which is a dangerous game and detrimental to freedom of speech and expression in a democratic society, besides causing immense personal harm and a threat to her life and safety.
We request those who have filed cases against her to accept her clarification in the right spirit with which it has been given and to withdraw all the cases against her.
We also demand that Shirin Dalvi be provided necessary protection forthwith.
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Hasina Khan
Dr. Ram Puniyani
Adv.Irfan Engineer – Director, Centre for Study of Society and Secularism
Javed Anand – General Secretary, Muslims for Secular Democracy
Sukla Sen
Ammu Abraham
Sameera Khan
Nasreen Fazalbhoy
Mario D’Penha
Divya Taneja
Kamayani Mahabal
Geeta Seshu
Brinelle D’souza – Tata Institute of Social Science
Teesta Setalvad, Editor, Communalism Combat
Rukmini Sen, Hillele Combat TV
Veena Gowda
Anjali Kanitkar
Saaz Shaikh
Rohini Hensman
Chhaya Datar
Susan Abraham
and members and organisations of Hum Azaadiyon ke Haq Mein
KAFILA - COLLECTIVE EXPLORATIONS SINCE 2006 
I endorse the statement p
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i am with you
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I endorse this statement. With so much noise about progressive Muslims speaking up and what not, when one actually does, the state throws them under the bus. The cartoon in question does not insult Islam and actually suggests that the prophet is saddened by the massacre at Charlie Hebdo office. Are those objecting to it trying to say that this is wrong?
The state needs to stop pandering to the worst idiots it can find to represent a religion as though normal religious people who follow law and order and didn’t have any problem aren’t real Muslims and only those who go nuts at such things (usually for agendas other than religion) are.
The state needs to grow a spine, protect Shireen Dalvi instead of arresting her and prosecute those intimidating her instead. Is she a citizen with rights or not?
While they are at it, also let go of the two newspaper sellers arrested for selling Avadhnama. It doesn’t get more stupid than this and while the Irrigation scam is in cold storage state machinery is being used to harass citizens instead.
Go find some real work to do if you cannot support those doing their jobs.
Vidyut
Blogger (aamjanata.com)
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UPDATE – RECEIVED FEBRUARY 13, 2015
The continual harassment of Shireen Dalvi, the sacked editor of the Urdu journal Avadhanama and a veteran journalist, in the form of filing FIRS against her across the state under Sec 295 A (outraging religious feelings with malicious intent), is shocking. Statements and articles against her continue to be published in the Urdu press , declaring that her “crime cannot be forgiven”. Ms Dalvi’s “crime” was to reproduce a cover of the controversial French magazine Charlie Hebdo in the January 17 edition of Awadhnama.
As a journalist, Ms Dalvi enjoys the freedom of expression. However,on being informed that the religious sentiments of her readers had been offended, she published a front-page apology on January 18 in her
paper. Despite that, the campaign against her continues, both in sections of the Urdu press and in social media, forcing her to remain in hiding since January 17. Her paper has since been closed down,rendering both Dalvi and the entire staff jobless.
It is condemnable that some of her fellow journalists have been in the forefront of the campaign against her, questioning her “religiosity”, her style of dress, and her capabilities as a journalist. It is worth noting that Ms Dalvi is among the few female editors of an Urdu newspaper.
We, the following signatories, feel that Ms Dalvi has committed no“crime”. However, since FIRs have been filed, we urge the government of Maharashtra to club all the FIRs against her and treat them as one,she must not be arrested or detained in the name of investigation except under judicial directive and also provide her and her family necessary protection from rowdy elements threatening their security.We also ask that the staff of Awadhnama be paid their dues and compensated.
Kasim Sait, Mohammed Imran, Jawad Mohammed, Kareem Sait, Jyoti Punwani, Subhashini Ali, Ghulam Mohuyuddin, Zaheer Ahmed Sayeed, Sukla Sen, Dhirendra Sharma, Badar Sayeed, Muthusundaram R, G T Verghees.
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