In a significant development that signals ongoing challenges for press freedom in India, Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of the fact-checking website AltNews, appeared back in court as police in Uttar Pradesh seek his arrest over a controversial social media post. The new case accuses Zubair of "endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India," which carries severe penalties, including a potential life sentence.
Zubair argues he is being targeted for his activism against hate speech, stating to the BBC, "I feel I’m being targeted because of the work I do." His judicial troubles follow a remarkable history; in 2022, he spent over three weeks in jail before the Supreme Court granted him bail after he was accused of insulting Hindu religious sentiments.
The recent legal proceedings arose from Zubair’s post on X (formerly Twitter), where he shared a video of Yati Narsinghanand, a controversial figure known for making hateful remarks against the Muslim community. The backlash from this post included protests, and Narsinghanand's supporters subsequently targeted Zubair with complaints that led to the case against him.
Initially, Zubair faced less serious charges, but these have intensified, prompting his legal team to petition for interim bail and challenge the validity of the allegations placed against him. He maintains he is not alone in spotlighting hate speech, noting that many other media professionals have reported on the issue without facing similar repercussions.
Pratik Sinha, Zubair's colleague at AltNews, articulated the sentiment that Zubair's situation is a case of "shooting the messenger," implying that the government is retaliating against those critiquing its actions. The invocation of stricter charges has drawn criticism from various rights organizations, which highlight concerns that the police are using the law to intimidate free expression. Amnesty International described the situation as indicative of a broader pattern of state harassment against activists and journalists.
This situation occurs amidst a backdrop of declining press freedom in India, with press watchdogs ranking the country as one of the lowest globally in terms of media liberty. Despite government denials of this decline, journalists reporting on government actions frequently face intimidation and legal challenges, solidifying fears of an environment hostile to dissenting voices.
