CHENNAI, India – On Friday, October 30th, a singer in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has been arrested for ‘insulting’ the government in a protest song. S Sividas (known as Kovan) has been charged under India’s Sedition law for a line in a viral song criticizing state leaders and if convicted, could face a maximum sentence of life in prison for these charges.
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Indian protest singer Kovan faces a potential life sentence for Sedition after his song criticizing government profit from liquor store went viral (Makkal Kalai Ilakkiya Kazhagam.)
A longtime member of the popular protest group People’s Literary Arts Institute (Makkal Kalai Ilakkiya Kazhagam in the Tamil language,) Kovan’s latest song criticizes the government of Tamil Nadu over state-run liquor stores. The song, titled “Oorukku oru Sarayam” or “For the City, the Ale Trail,” contains lyrics blaming Governor Jayalalithaa for the intoxication of the state.
Kovan further accused the governor’s party of “rejoicing while people are dying of alcoholism,” pointed out the hypocrisy of alcohol being cheaper than public schooling, and drew attention to the governor’s personal investment in the area’s largest distillery.
Kovan was taken from his home at 2:30 am local time on Friday, October 30th in a particularly violent encounter, as described by his lawyer.
“He was beaten up and pulled into the police vehicle forcefully,” detailed Kovan’s lawyer Gym Milton. “He was not given a reason for the dramatic arrest…Kovan said he was interrogated for over five hours over charges of instigating people against the government and the chief minister.”
Cybercrime police forces are reported by local sources to have also arrived for a raid on the home of the owner of the website hosting Kovan’s videos. They conducted a search but left when the homeowner was not found.
Kovan is pictured criticizing Tamil Nadu’s governor in the video which led to his arrest. The artist has been charged with Sedition, Criminal Intimidation, and Dividing Social Groups for his lyrics (Makkal Kalai Ilakkiya Kazhagam.)
Kovan was taken to Tamil Nadu’s largest city of Chennai, where the police chief confirmed his detention stating only that the artist is under investigation. Kovan is currently facing charges including sedition, provocation with intent to cause a riot, and public mischief. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
“We call on authorities in Tamil Nadu to release to release Kovan, and on the government of India to repeal their sedition law which has been used time and time again to stifle peaceful dissent,” said Voice Project executive director Hunter Heaney. “Songs are not crimes and this arrest, as well as the law employed, stand in direct contravention to the free expression rights guaranteed in India’s own constitution, as well as numerous international conventions to which India is a party. Sedition laws like this, and the arrests of peaceful artists, should have no place in a modern society.”
UPDATE 2 NOV. 2015:
Local sources are reporting that 150 peaceful demonstrators protesting against Kovan’s detention have been arrested in Chennai. Those arrested were protesting with the People’s Power art and cultural group, and it is as yet unclear what charges they face.
“We have every right to lampoon the Chief Minister and the state’s policies on liquor. In fact the state is working against people by selling liquor. There should be Sedition charges against the government only,” said People’s Power’s regional organizer, Vetrivel.
Another protestor named Siva said, “This is an attack on freedom of expression. The album only documents the hardship and various ways in which liquor sale ruins families in Tamil Nadu. Where is the question of conspiring against the state?”