The IPI global network condemns the Indian government鈥檚 continued harassment of prominent journalist Rana Ayyub, after authorities last week barred her from leaving the country as she was boarding an international flight to speak at events about press freedom. While Delhi鈥檚 High Court today canceled the travel ban, we call on India鈥檚 ruling party to cease its harassment of Ayyub and to take action to ensure the safety of female journalists in India.聽
Ayyub, an outspoken of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi鈥檚 , has faced relentless harassment and online abuse, including rape and death threats, by Hindu right-wing groups and Modi鈥檚 online troll armies for years.
In January 2022, revealed that Ayyub was among a number of journalists, including many female journalists, to be targeted by a sophisticated online disinformation operation deployed by Modi鈥檚 conservative nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In recent months, Ayyub鈥檚 bank accounts were frozen after authorities accused her of laundering money she received as donations for relief during the COVID-19 pandemic 鈥� an accusation she has as 鈥渦tterly baseless.鈥� She had already appeared before authorities in December 2021 to answer these accusations, and told that she at that time provided all of the required documents related to her handling of the donations.
On March 29, Ayyub by airport authorities in Mumbai, based on an order from the state鈥檚 financial crimes agency which had issued a summons for her to appear for questioning related to these same money laundering allegations. She was on her way to deliver a speech on the intimidation of journalists for the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) in London and then was supposed to travel to Perugia, Italy for the to give a keynote speech.
On April 4, the Delhi High Court cleared Ayyub for travel.
鈥淲hile the court canceled the government鈥檚 travel ban, this is another example of the Indian government鈥檚 relentless harassment of Rana Ayyub鈥�, IPI Director of Advocacy Amy Brouillette said. 鈥淲e urge the authorities to cease attempts to silence Ayyub through these types of intimidation tactics and disproportionate measures and we demand that the government take concrete steps to ensure her safety as well as the safety of other female journalists in India.”
In February 2022, IPI joined the Coalition Against Online Violence (CAOV) in demanding Indian authorities cease instigating attacks on Ayyub. U.N. human rights experts also to the Indian government to end the 鈥渕isogynistic and sectarian鈥� attacks against the journalist.