News Click: US Responds After India Launches Sweeping Media Raids

In a case reportedly connected to alleged Chinese funding, Indian anti-terror police said on Tuesday they had arrested two people linked to NewsClick, an English-language news website, and raided the homes of 44 others.

In August, The New York Times reported NewsClick was financed by Neville Roy Singham, who it said “sprinkled its coverage with Chinese government talking points”. The report accused the US millionaire of working closely with Beijing and of “financing its propaganda worldwide”.

Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakravarty Arrested

The raids in New Delhi raised concerns over the situation for media in the country. Without providing additional details on the reason for the sweeping raids, police said 37 men and 9 women had been questioned and that digital devices and documents were seized.

“The proceedings are still ongoing,” police further mentioned, noting the media raids were launched under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), a strict anti-terror law which makes it virtually impossible to get bail in the matter.

So far, Prabir Purkayastha, the editor of NewsClick, and Amit Chakravarty, the site’s head of human resources, have been arrested. The Mumbai Press Club demanded the police stop “what is perceived as a targeted harassment campaign against these journalists”.

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Press freedom in India has plummeted in recent years, according to rights activists and opposition lawmakers. Reporters Without Borders has raised concerns as well. Since 2014, the country has dropped from 140 to 161 on its rankings of media freedom.

Also raided in connection to NewsClick was Sohail Hashmi. The historian and activist had to hand over his laptop, phone and hard disks, calling the raid a “combination of intimidation and a crackdown on freedom of press and speech”.

Washington Responds To NewsClick Raids

Meanwhile, the US has seen reports about the alleged ties of the Indian media outlet with China but cannot comment yet on the veracity of the claims, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at a news conference in Washington.

“We have urged the Indian government and have done so not just with India, but other countries as well, about the importance of respecting the human rights of journalists, including freedom of expression both online and offline,” he added.