Indian skeptic and rationalist Sanal Edamaruku pictured at his home in Helsinki on 31 August 2020. LEHTIKUVA
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Indian national Sanal Edamaruku, a secular activist living in exile in Finland, has been arrested in Poland based on a notice issued by Indian authorities.
According to Rationalist International, the organisation Edamaruku founded, he was detained at Warsaw Modlin Airport on 28 March. He had travelled to Poland to attend a human rights conference.
The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed the arrest to the news agency STT on Sunday.
Edamaruku is wanted in India on blasphemy charges. The Indian government issued an Interpol red notice, prompting Polish authorities to detain him. India is now seeking his extradition.
He moved to Finland in 2012 following the charges, and has remained there since.
In 2020, Edamaruku told STT that returning to India would put his life at risk. Rationalist International echoed this concern, citing past violence and killings targeting rationalists in India.
The charges against Edamaruku stem from a 2012 incident in Mumbai. After reports of a crucifix dripping water, Edamaruku examined the site and concluded the liquid was leaking sewage, not evidence of a miracle. His statements angered the Catholic Church and led to the blasphemy accusations.
Edamaruku gained international visibility in the 1990s when a BBC documentary followed his work exposing so-called miracles across India. He has publicly advocated for secularism and scientific reasoning and has been a prominent critic of superstition and religious dogma.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
