Just days after Indian authorities raided the homes of over 100 journalists affiliated with Indian leftist outlet Newsclick, international outlet Peoples Dispatch, and Tricontinental Research Services, over 300 journalists, political leaders, artists, academics, and progressive activists signed an open letter repudiating the repression. The individuals also demanded the immediate release of Newsclick editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and administrator Amit Chakraborty who were arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and remain in police custody.
The letter was signed by political leaders S’bu Zikode, Mqapheli, and Thapelo Mohapi of Abahlali baseMjondolo, the shack dwellers movement of South Africa, Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard, Secretary General of the South African Communist Party Solly Mapaila, Brian Becker, Executive Director of the ANSWER Coalition, German MP Sevim Dagdelen, and Jodie Evans of the anti-war group CODEPINK.
Renowned journalists and authors also signed such as Bhaskar Sunkara, founder of Jacobin Magazine and President of The Nation, Abby Martin and Mike Prysner of The Empire Files, Kwesi Pratt, Jnr., Managing Editor of The Insight Newspaper and founder of Pan African Television of Ghana, Gerald Horne, historian and journalist with Pacifica Radio and KPFK-Los Angeles, The Morning Star editors Ben Chacko and Roger McKenzie, comedian and journalist Lee Camp of Dangerous Minds, and Rania Khalek and Eugene Puryear of BreakThrough News.
Gabriel Shipton, the brother of imprisoned publisher and co-founder of Wikileaks Julian Assange, also signed the letter rejecting attacks on press freedom in India.
Signatories hail from over 30 countries including Argentina, Australia, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, and Venezuela.
The letter comes amid an outpouring of support and solidarity for Newsclick and those harassed and detained on October 3. Dozens of rallies and mobilizations have taken place in cities across India organized by press associations and human rights organizations, and student and youth groups such as the Students Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).
Read the full text of the letter and the full list of signatories below:
We, the undersigned journalists, progressive news publications, academics, artists, and political leaders, from around the world, join together to condemn the horrific repression faced by our colleagues at Newsclick and Peoples Dispatch in India on October 3, 2023. The mass raids and detentions unleashed against journalists, commentators, cartoonists, and comedians associated with the outlet, as well as the arrest of its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and administrator Amit Chakraborty under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act constitute a worrying attack on the democratic principles of press freedom and freedom of expression.
NewsClick is exactly the kind of media outlet which strengthens a democracy, shining a light and giving a voice to those marginalized and silenced sectors of society which clamor for dignity and change.
We stand with our colleagues at Newsclick and Peoples Dispatch and demand the immediate release of those arrested.
Add your signature here.
Signatories:
- Signatories:
- Andrea Ross, Frente Patria Grande, Argentina
- Erika Gimenez, ARG Medios, Argentina
- Facundo, Comuna, Argentina
- Fernando Rule Castro, Argentina
- Francisco Rodrigo Farina, Editorial El Colectivo, Argentina
- Francisco Vértiz, Editorial Batalla de Ideas, Argentina
- Julián Pilatti, Arg medios, Argentina
- Lautaro Rivara, Argentina
- Manuel Bertoldi, Arg Medios, Argentina
- Paula Klachko, Argentina
- Sofia Urosevich, ARG Medios, Argentina
- Gabriel Shipton, Australia
- Red Ant Collective, Australia
- Salami Nidol, SamSin TV, Bénin
- Omar Tarek Chowdhury, Writer-translator, Bangladesh
- Juan Espinoza del Villar, Midia Ninja, Bolivia
- Andrés Huanca, Abya Yala Tv, Bolivia
- Abdon Franklin de Meiroz Grilo, Brazil
- Aline Tatiane Adolphs, Brazil
- Ana Marta Resing, Brazil
- Associação Catarinense de Rádios Comunitárias, Brazil
- Avel de Alencar, Brazil
- Claudio Antonio Ribeiro, Aposentado, Brazil
- Eliane Silveira, Sindicato dos Jornalistas do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Gabriella Petroni, Brazil de Fato, Brazil
- João Carlos Santin, Jornalismo RadCom, Brazil
- João Costa, Jornalista, Brazil
- Joaquim Soriano, Brazil
- Katia Camargo, Brazil
- Katia Marko, Brazil de Fato RS, Brazil
- Lara Sfair, ABI, Brazil
- Laura Santos Rocha, Sindicato de Jornalistas Profissionais do Rio Grande do Sul (SindJoRS), Brazil
- Leandro Melito Ferreira, Freelancer, Brazil
- Leda Beck, APJor, Brazil
- Leila Tais Vicari, Verdeperto Comunicação, Brazil
- Letícia Castro, Imprensa, Brazil
- Livian Alves, Brasil de Fato, Brazil
- Luiz Fernando Taranto, Brazil
- Marcos Ferreira, Brazil
- Maria, Brasil de Fato, Brazil
- Martha Raquel Rodrigues, Jornalistas Livres, Brazil
- Niara de Oliveira, freelancer, Brazil
- Nina Fideles, Brasil de Fato, Brazil
- Peter Kuhns, Brazil
- Rosimer, Brazil
- Sindicato dos Jornalistas Profissionais no Estado de São Paulo, Brazil
- Vivian Neves Fernandes, Brazil
- Vladimir Sacchetta, Porviroscópio Projetos e conteúdos, Brazil
- Wevergton Brito Lima, Site i21.org.br, Brazil
- Amrit, Canada
- Bals Sithamparapillai, Canada
- Davina Bhandar, Canada
- Elizabeth Lee, Canada
- Himani Bannerji, Canada
- Kaushalya Bannerji, Artist, Canada
- Rita Kaur Dhamoon, Associate Professor, Canada
- Subho Basu, Canada
- Tyson, Rebel Youth Magazine, Canada
- Zara Faride, Canada
- Claudio De Negri, Communist Party of Chile, Chile
- Taroa Zúñiga Silva, Globetrotter, Chile
- Pablo Abufom, Revista Posiciones, Chile
- Patricia Silva Soto, Chile
- Tings Chak, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, China
- Yuwei Pan, China
- Ana Vracar, Peoples Health Dispatch, Croatia
- Rosa Miriam Elizalde, Dominio Cuba, Cuba
- Mads Knudsen, Denmark
- Ana Lia Borja, Revista Crisis, Ecuador
- Anabel, Ecuador
- Cristina Estefanía Indemini Báez, Ecuador
- Diana Almeida, Revista Crisis, Ecuador
- Hernán Acevedo Valarezo, Colectivo La Raiz – Pensamiento Crítico, Ecuador
- Irene León, REDH, Ecuador
- Juan Meriguet, SOMOS PATRIA, Ecuador
- Martín Varese, Peoples Dispatch, Ecuador
- Shaskya Cedeno, Ecuador
- Mahmoud Hashem, Africavoices.net, Egypt
- Fabien Tarrit, France
- Alexander Leipold, Germany
- Joerg Tiedjen, Junge Welt, Germany
- Klaus Helms, Germany
- Sevim Dagdelen, German Bundestag, Germany
- Shani Stehle, Germany
- Jeff Atuobi, Ghana
- Kwesi Pratt, Jnr., Pan African Television, Ghana
- Oscar Gálvez, Voces de Iximulew, Guatemala
- Jean Waltès Bien-Aimé, Radio Resistencia, Haití
- Aashna, India
- Abhipsa China, India
- Abhisek Roy Barman, India
- Adhiraaj Ray, Advocate – Calcutta High Court, India
- Aravind KS, India
- Arjun Sengupta, India
- Barun Bandyopadhyay, India
- C. Saratchand, University of Delhi, India
- Chandra, India/UK
- Dr. Mihirlal Roy, India
- India and Global Left, India
- J. Josh Freed, India
- Jishnudev, India
- Mrinal Kanti Das, India
- Pritish Menon, India
- Rajarshi Adhikary, India
- Ravikant Beniwal, India
- Samikkannu A V, India
- Sandip, India
- Saroj Kanta Behera, India
- Sayantani, India
- Shabbir Mohammed Haidermota, India
- Sobhanlal Datta Gupta, India
- Soumyaneel Dasgupta, Jadavpur University, India
- Souvik Roy, India
- Subhabrata Roy, India
- Suchetana Chattopadhyay, India
- Utpal Basu, India
- Vijay Prashad, Globetrotter, India
- Vipasha, India
- Chris Hazzard, Ireland
- Bianca Maria, Italy
- Franco Porcu, Italy
- Francesco Frisco, Italy
- Gennaro Varriale, Italy
- Gianfranco Santoro, Italy
- Giuliano Granato, Italy
- Giuseppe, Italy
- Luigi Rosanova, Italy
- Maurizio Coppola, freelance, Italy
- Nicola, Italy
- Nicoletta Manuzzato, Italy
- Partito della Rifondazione Comunista – Sinistra Europea, Italy
- Roberto Evangelista, Italy
- Rosaria Natale, Italy
- Ruggiero Alessandro, Italy
- Nick Deane, Jamaica
- Jennes Anderson, Jamaica
- Ahmed Kaballo, African Stream, Kenya
- Tracy Lumbasi, Kenya
- Rania Khalek, BreakThrough News, Lebanon
- Choo Chon Kai, sosialis.net, Malaysia
- Daniel Kent, Mexico
- Alina Duarte, De Raíz, México
- Amílcar Guerra, Personal, México
- Colectivo Editorial Incendiar el Oceano, México
- Jesús Flores, Mexico
- Abdallah Elharif, Deputy General Secretary-Workers Democratic Way Party, Morocco
- Jamal Berajaa, General Secretary-Workers Democratic Way Party, Morocco
- Ashok Danavath, Netherlands
- Liesbeth Nieuwenweg, Netherlands
- Mikko Karjalainen, Netherlands
- Sruti Bala, International Solidarity for Academic Freedom in India, Netherlands
- Rasmus Sandnes Haukedal, MOLD, Norway
- Adrián Hartill Montalvo, Minkaprod, Perú
- Igor Bosc, Peru
- Maria Celi, Perú
- Ana Maria R. Nemenzo, Philippines
- Partido Manggagawa (Workers Party), Philippines
- Luis de Jesús, BreakThrough News, Puerto Rico
- Selena Nadal, Exprimiendo La Calle, Puerto Rico
- Edda López Serrano, Independiente, Puerto Rico
- Artemiy Semenovskiy, Russia
- Henry Hakamaki, Guerrilla History, Russia
- Noa Treister, Serbia
- Efemia Chela, Inkani Books, South Africa
- Jaysen Chetty, South Africa
- Mqapheli, AbahlalibaseMjondolo, South Africa
- Pretty Sinenhlanhla, South Africa
- Richard, Academic & journalist, South Africa
- S’bu. Zikode, Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA., South Africa
- Solly Mapaila, Secretary General of the South African Communist Party and African Communist Journal Editor in Chief, South Africa
- Thapelo Mohapi, Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA, South Africa
- Vashna Jagarnath, NUMSA, South Africa
- César Lobato Gómez, Spain
- Lubna Qureshi, Independent Historian, Sweden
- Satyaki Bhattacharya, Sweden
- John-Mark Considine, Switzerland
- Lynn Fries, GPEnewsdocs, Switzerland
- Nizar, Freelance, Tanzania
- Kandis Sebro, Trinidad and Tobago
- Korkut Boratav, Turkey
- Lubnah Ansari, UAE
- Ben Chacko, The Morning Star, UK
- Chandak Sengoopta, UK
- David Kwao Fianko, UK
- Dhruv Haria, UK
- Dr. Diya Gupta, UK
- Erol-Antony McKenzie, UK
- Fiona Edwards, Eyes on Latin America, UK
- Joe, Counter Punch, UK
- John McEvoy, Declassified UK, UK
- Johnnie Hunter, Communist Party of Britain, UK
- Prof Lyla Mehta, UK
- Roger McKenzie, International Editor, Morning Star News, UK
- Rosemary Galli, UK
- Scott Forster, UK
- Subir Sinha, UK
- Taj Ali, Tribune Magazine, UK
- Aakansha Jain, US
- Abby Martin, The Empire Files, US
- Abel, US
- Afnan Ismail, US
- Aimée Artigliere, US
- Akiksha Chatterji, US
- Ali Abdel-Qader, US
- Alithia Zamantakis, US
- Amanda Yee, Liberation News, US
- Amicia Huelsman, US
- Amy Hills, US
- Ana Marton, US
- Andira Alves, US
- Andrew Bankson, Liberation News, US
- Andrew Evan Hawthorn, US
- Andrew Gilkey, US
- Andrew Velasquez, US
- Anlin Wang, US
- Arjun Singh Sethi, Georgetown University Law Center, US
- Asad Abukhalil, US
- Austin Long, US
- Austin Williams, US
- Ben Norton, Geopolitical Economy Report, US
- Ben Thomason, Academic, Bowling Green State University, US
- Benjamin Zinevich, Liberation News, US
- Bhaskar Sunkara, President – The Nation Magazine, US
- Bobby Ewing, US
- Brayan Zambrano, US
- Brenda Hines, US
- Brent, US
- Brian Becker, The Socialist Program, US
- Brianna, US
- Bryce Howard, Party for Socialism and Liberation., US
- Calla Walsh, Freelance, US
- Carli Barry, US
- Carol McLoughlin, US
- Charles Xu, Qiao Collective, US
- Chris Banks, BreakThrough News, US
- Chris Caruso, City College, US
- Chris Garaffa, CovertAction Magazine, US
- Christian Garramone, US
- Christian Torre, US
- Chuck Modi, Independent, US
- Claire Cook, US
- Claudia O’Brien Moscoso, Black Agenda Report, US
- Cody Cogdell, US
- Cori, US
- Craig Birchfield, Breakthrough News, US
- Craig Birckhead-Morton, US
- Daljit K. Soni, Esq., US
- Dan Kittridge, US
- Dana Alhasan, US
- Danny Bettio, US
- Daven McQueen, US
- David Adler, US
- David Chung, The People’s Forum, US
- Derek R. Ford, DePauw University, US
- Dianne Post, US
- donald b fanning, US
- Doug Henwood, KPFA radio, US
- Doug Paterson, Outlook, US
- Dylan Reid Miller, US
- Elana Levy, US
- Eliette Choi, US
- Elizabeth smith, US
- Emily Brease, BreakThrough News, US
- Erica Steib, US
- Estevan Hernandez, US
- Fadil Aliriza, Meshkal, US
- Faramarz Farbod, Left Turn, US
- Farzad Qmehr, Na, US
- Gabriela Silva, US
- Gerald Horne, Pacifica Radio/KPFK-Los Angeles, US
- Gloria La Riva, Pacific Media Workers Guild, US
- Grace Woods, US
- Guy Oron, Real Change News, US
- Hannah Craig, artist, US
- Hannah Dickinson, Breaking the Chains Magazine, US
- Heather Benno, US
- Henry Schwarz, Professor, US
- HOOMAN BUSTANI, US
- Illona Santillan, US
- Imani Lawrence, US
- Jackie Kindall, BreakThrough News, US
- Jacqueline Luqman, Luqman Nation, US
- Jared Anderson, US
- Jasmeen Kaur, US
- Jasmine Nicole Williams, artist, US
- Jason Cohen, US
- Jason Tschantre, US
- Jasper Saah, Liberation News, US
- Jayson Boucher, US
- Jeff Brownell, US
- Jennifer Sugijanto, US
- Jesse Olsavsky, US
- Jessica Ryan, US
- Jodi Dean, US
- Jodie Evans, CODEPINK, US
- John Bellamy Foster, Monthly Review, US
- John Kiriakou, Consortium News, US
- Jonathan Demetrius Amos, US
- Jordan Miller, US
- Jorge Rocha, US
- Joseph Tucker, US
- Josh Finn, In Defense of Liberation, US
- Josh Mayfield, US
- Joy-Douglass, US
- Ju-Hyun Park, The Real News, US
- Julia Buck, US
- Julia, US
- Justin, US
- Kaleigh O’Keefe, Liberation News, US
- Kalonji Changa, Black Power Media, US
- Kameron Hurt, US
- Karen Jacques, US
- Karla Reyes, Breaking the Chains, US
- Kathryn McClain, Supporting individual citizen of the US, US
- Katie Halper, The Katie Halper Show, US
- Kayla Trimble, US
- Kei Pritsker, Breakthrough News, US
- Keightley Wilkins, US
- Kerby Miller, US
- Khadija, US
- Ki-Jana Carter, Liberation News, US
- Kim Ives, Haïti Liberté, US
- Kit Baril, US
- Kyronn, US
- Lauren Murdock, US
- Layan Fuleihan, US
- Lee Camp, Dangerous Ideas, US
- LeeAnn Morrissette, NBFJA, US
- Leigh-Anna Faith, US
- Lillian House, US
- Lindsey Jordan, US
- Lisa McLaughlin, Department of Media, Journalism and Film, Miami University, US
- Lyle McCormick, Liberation News, US
- M. Lafond, US
- Maddie, US
- Magalie Bonhomme, US
- Malini Ranganathan, American University, US
- Manolo De Los Santos, The People’s Forum, US
- Manu Karuka, 1804 Books, US
- Margaret Flowers, Popular Resistance, US
- Maria Hermsen-Kritz, US
- Mariam, US
- Marie Kennedy, US
- Mario Hernandez, US
- Marissa Rodriguez, Liberation News, US
- Marjorie Xavier, US
- Mark Smith, US
- Mary Ann Castle, Planning Alternatives for Change, US
- Mary Archana Fernandez, US
- Matt Leslie, Fightback! News, US
- Matthew Gallagher, US
- Matthew Kolln, US
- Maureen North, US
- Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, US
- Maya Lehrer, US
- Meryle A. Korn, Public Broadcasting, US
- Micah Fong, Breakthrough News, US
- Michael Anderson, FightBack! News, US
- Michael Blosser, Labor Researcher, Treasurer United Union Professionals (UUP), US
- Mike Prysner, The Empire Files, US
- Mike, Education, US
- Minahil Khan, Apogee Journal; Common Notions Press, US
- Mirah Wood, DSA International Committee, USA
- Miya Tada, US
- Mohammad Faisal Ahmad, US
- Mona Chopra, US
- Natalia Campos, US
- Natalia Marques, Peoples Dispatch, US
- Nathan Gibbs, US
- National Lawyers Guild International, US
- Nick Estes, Red Media, US
- Patricia Gorky, US
- Patricia Heny, US
- Patricia Mann, US
- Patrick McWilliams, Liberation News, US
- Phoebe, US
- Quynh Nguyen, US
- Rachel Domond, Liberation News, US
- Raj Patel, US
- Riad Abdel-Gawad, Musician, US
- Riley Petro, US
- Robert A. Moses, US
- Roger Harris, Task Force on the Americas, US
- Ron Joseph, US
- Ryan Baka, US
- Ryan Hamby, The People’s Forum, US
- Ryan Kidwiler, US
- Saidi Moseley, US
- Sam Schaefer, US
- Sam Weisman, US
- Samantha Agarwal, American University, US
- Sameena Rahman, US
- Sammi Mathew, US
- Santos Hernandez, US
- Sarah Brummet, US
- Sarah Bryski-Hamrick, US
- Satya Mohapatra, US
- Sean Blackmon, By Any Means Necessary, US
- Shana Nicholson, US
- Sharon, US
- Sheila Xiao, US
- shenby g, artist, US
- Silvio Rodrigues, US
- Sophia Massie, US
- Srinivas Vemuri, US
- Stephanie Trasoff, US
- Steve Gillis, workers.org Workers World newspaper, US
- Steve Goodman, US
- Steve Wise, US
- Steven Berge, US
- Steven Riley, US
- Suzanne Adely, US
- Tahia Islam, US
- Terra Collier, US
- Tim Johnson, US
- Tom Lux, US
- Tonny Algood, US
- Ujju Aggarwal, US
- Ujwala, US
- Verdi Feltman, US
- Vipulya Chari, US
- Vivek Venkatraman, artist, US
- Walter Smolarek, Liberation News, US
- Will Kohr, US
- William I Robinson, University of California at Santa Barbara, US
- William S. Gottlieb, US
- William Whiteman, Albuquerque Teachers Federation AFT Local 1420, US
- Winchellyn Sy, US
- Zach Farber, Liberation News, US
- Zoe Alexandra, Peoples Dispatch, US
- Carlos Molinares, Venezuela
- Florangel Valdez, Venezuela
- Giuliano, independent journalist, Venezuela
- Laura Franco, Instituto Simón Bolívar, Venezuela
- Luis Alfredo Mancera Pérez, Universidad Nacional Experimental de las Artes, Venezuela
- Maribel Rosario, Defensoría Universitaria, Venezuela
- Zabdiela, LSB, Venezuela
- ALBA Movimientos
- Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
- Activist News Network
This list was updated on the morning of Friday October 6.
