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May 9, 2025 - Comments Off on X Pushes Back Against Indian Government’s Censorship Orders

X Pushes Back Against Indian Government’s Censorship Orders

Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has pushed back against executive orders from the Indian government demanding the blocking of over 8,000 accounts, including those of journalists, international media, and prominent users.

In a statement, X revealed it was threatened with fines and imprisonment of staff in India if it failed to comply. The platform is withholding some accounts locally but has publicly opposed the orders, calling them vague, unjustified, and a threat to free speech.

X emphasized the importance of transparency and urged impacted users to seek legal relief, noting that it is currently restricted by Indian law from challenging the orders itself.

The move comes amid India’s escalating conflict with Pakistan, during which it has already blocked several Pakistani news outlets and voices online.

Following this statement, fact-checkers reported that the X account @GlobalAffairs (via which the statement was published) has also been withheld in India.

Media organizations blocked in India so far are Maktoob Media, The Kashmiriyat, The Wire.in and Free Press Kashmir. The Wire.in  has called this a “clear violation of the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press.”

Source: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2544747/x-refuses-indias-request-to-block-8000-accounts

December 14, 2024 - Comments Off on Journalists, vloggers among 150 booked under PECA for “maligning security agencies”

Journalists, vloggers among 150 booked under PECA for “maligning security agencies”

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered cases against 150 individuals, including journalists and vloggers, “for their involvement in maligning security agencies over the Nov 26 incident”, referring to the controversy surrounding the number of deaths at a protest march by PTI supporters in late November 2024. According to the FIA, Harmeet Singh, a Pakistani Sikh journalist, had ostensibly promoted a “false narrative” concerning the four day-long protest, and claimed that he had incited violence against the state. He and others were being booked under Sections 9 (“Glorification of an Offence”), 10 (“Cyber Terrorism”), 11 (“Hate Speech”) and 24 (“Cyber Stalking”) of the PECA.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) condemned the 150 arrests, calling them “a blatant attack on press freedom and freedom of expression in Pakistan and depicts the authoritarian mindset of the so-called elected government.” The PFUJ stressed that it does not condone “fake news”, but that “due process” was vital when registering cases against journalists.