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| Irom Sharmila: World's longest hunger strike ends | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Indian activist Irom Sharmila has ended her 16-year-long hunger strike against a controversial security law, in order to compete in local elections. | |
| Her campaign, described as the world's longest hunger strike, had led to her being detained, and forced fed through a tube in her nose for over a decade. | |
| She was held under a law that makes attempting suicide a crime. | She was held under a law that makes attempting suicide a crime. |
| The court in northeastern Manipur state granted her bail on Tuesday and asked her to reappear on 23 June. | The court in northeastern Manipur state granted her bail on Tuesday and asked her to reappear on 23 June. |
| Ms Sharmila has signed a personal bail bond and is expected to be released from her judicial custody in a local hospital after bail procedures are complete. | |
| She tasted honey to symbolically break her fast in front of journalists in the hospital. | |
| What next for world's longest hunger striker? | What next for world's longest hunger striker? |
| 'Different agitation' | 'Different agitation' |
| Ms Sharmila told the court in the state capital, Imphal, that she was a "prisoner of conscience" and she wanted to end her fast, be free and fight in local assembly elections. | Ms Sharmila told the court in the state capital, Imphal, that she was a "prisoner of conscience" and she wanted to end her fast, be free and fight in local assembly elections. |
| "I have to change my strategy. Some people are seeing me as a strange woman because I want to join politics. They say politics is a dirty, but so is society. I want to stand in the elections against the government," she said. | "I have to change my strategy. Some people are seeing me as a strange woman because I want to join politics. They say politics is a dirty, but so is society. I want to stand in the elections against the government," she said. |
| She told reporters she had decided to "try a different [form of] agitation" because "I have been fasting for 16 years and I have not got anything from it yet". | She told reporters she had decided to "try a different [form of] agitation" because "I have been fasting for 16 years and I have not got anything from it yet". |
| Ms Sharmila had been protesting against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which gives soldiers sweeping powers to arrest without warrants and even shoot to kill in certain situations. | Ms Sharmila had been protesting against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which gives soldiers sweeping powers to arrest without warrants and even shoot to kill in certain situations. |
| AFSPA is in effect in several Indian states, including in Manipur and Indian-administered Kashmir. | AFSPA is in effect in several Indian states, including in Manipur and Indian-administered Kashmir. |
| A hunger strike in pictures | A hunger strike in pictures |
| Photographer Ian Thomas Jansen-Lonnquist has closely followed MS Sharmila's journey over the past few years. | Photographer Ian Thomas Jansen-Lonnquist has closely followed MS Sharmila's journey over the past few years. |
| She started her fast 16 years ago after 10 civilians were killed by Indian soldiers in Manipur. | She started her fast 16 years ago after 10 civilians were killed by Indian soldiers in Manipur. |
| She has spent most of the last 16 years in judicial custody in a hospital in Manipur's capital, Imphal, where she was force-fed a cocktail of medicines and baby formula. | She has spent most of the last 16 years in judicial custody in a hospital in Manipur's capital, Imphal, where she was force-fed a cocktail of medicines and baby formula. |
| Ms Sharmila was released in August 2014 after the court rejected the charge that she was "attempting to commit suicide". But she was re-arrested two days later after she refused to end her protest. | Ms Sharmila was released in August 2014 after the court rejected the charge that she was "attempting to commit suicide". But she was re-arrested two days later after she refused to end her protest. |
| Ms Sharmila appeared in the Manipur High Court every two weeks to reaffirm her protest. | Ms Sharmila appeared in the Manipur High Court every two weeks to reaffirm her protest. |
| Her protest has won her worldwide recognition, with Amnesty International describing her as a prisoner of conscience. | Her protest has won her worldwide recognition, with Amnesty International describing her as a prisoner of conscience. |
| The activist received considerable attention from local and international media outlets in recent years. | The activist received considerable attention from local and international media outlets in recent years. |
| Ms Sharmila has the support of women and civil rights groups in the state. | Ms Sharmila has the support of women and civil rights groups in the state. |
| A memorial has been built at the site in Manipur where the 10 civilians were killed by Indian soldiers. The state has a population of about 2.5 million people and a huge force of army, paramilitary and state police are deployed there to fight insurgent groups. | A memorial has been built at the site in Manipur where the 10 civilians were killed by Indian soldiers. The state has a population of about 2.5 million people and a huge force of army, paramilitary and state police are deployed there to fight insurgent groups. |