New Delhi – The editor of an Indian news website stands accused of taking shady funds to promote pro-China propaganda in a case that has seen police interrogate dozens of journalists. But observers warn that the allegations are merely an excuse to intimidate the media.
The founder and editor-in-chief of online news channel NewsClick, Prabir Purkayastha, was ordered to remain in custody on Friday until at least 25 October, along with the site's head of human resources Amit Chakraborty.
Police arrested them on 3 October under India's Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), which is designed to prevent terrorism.
It follows allegations published in the New York Times that an American businessman based in Shanghai was funding media outlets around the world to share pro-China coverage.
According to the paper's investigation, published in early August, NewsClick was among the organisations that received funds linked to tech millionaire Neville Roy Singham. The Indian site, known as a progressive outlet, "sprinkled its coverage with Chinese government talking points", the Times claimed.
Around two weeks later, Indian authorities registered a case against NewsClick and its journalists, with Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur calling the site a "dangerous global network of Chinese propaganda".
In early October, police arrested Purkayastha and Chakraborty, raided the website's offices and questioned dozens of its contributors. In total 46 journalists and cartoonists were questioned and their laptops, phones and cameras confiscated during raids in Delhi and elsewhere.
Both Singham and NewsClick have denied any wrongdoing.
STATEMENT BY NEWSCLICK
— NewsClick (@newsclickin) October 4, 2023
We want to state for the record:
1. Newsclick is an independent news website.
2. Our journalistic content is based on the highest standards of the profession.
3. Newsclick does not publish any news or information at the behest of any Chinese entity…
'Attempt to muzzle the media'
Industry observers and rights groups warned of a crackdown on independent reporting.
The Editors Guild of India said it was concerned the raids were "yet another attempt to muzzle the media".
"The investigation of specific offences must not create a general atmosphere of intimidation under the shadow of draconian laws, or impinge on the freedom of expression and the raising of dissenting and critical voices," it said.
Media analyst Shivaji Sarkar argued that the counter-terrorism UAPA should be used sparingly, especially against individual journalists.
"Governments need to be slightly more pragmatic because news cannot be just categorised 'national' or 'anti-national' as there will always be different viewpoints," he told RFI.
"And from that point of view it could have been best avoided," Sarkar said of the legislation, which grants sweeping powers to law enforcers and at the same time makes it difficult to obtain bail from the courts.
"UAPA is not a law but just an instrument to put you in jail. Law requires due process but UAPA has no due process," prominent Indian human rights activist John Dayal told RFI.
Purkayastha's arrest brought to 16 the number of Indian journalists taken into custody under the act since 2010. Seven of them are said to have been released.
Decline in press freedom
Opposition MP Shashi Tharoor argued the crackdown on NewsClick was the "action of a very insecure and autocratic government".
"To my mind whatever happened was not only unfortunate, it was a disgrace to our democracy and to our traditions of freedom," he told reporters.
NewsClick, which has published stories critical of India's government, has been raided by police before. In 2021 tax authorities searched its offices over allegations of money laundering, again accusing it of unlawfully accepting foreign funding.
No charges have been filed in connection with those allegations.
The World Press Freedom Index ranked India 161st among 180 countries in 2023, slipping 16 points lower than its 2022 ranking.
Delhi says it does not agree with the ranking, which is compiled by France-based group Reporters Without Borders.
Amending its information technology law in April, the Indian government cautioned it would bar social media platforms from hosting information the authorities identify as "misinformation or misleading online content".
Three months later it said 120 YouTube channels and many other sites had been blocked for publishing content not "found to be in the interest of the country's sovereignty and integrity".
