असहमति का दम घोंटना

Linda Lakhdhir

May 24, 2016

असहमति का दम घोंटना

भारत में शांतिपूर्ण अभिव्यक्ति का अपराधीकरण

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The Indian authorities routinely use vaguely worded, overly broad laws as political tools to silence and harass critics. The government should repeal or amend laws that are used to criminalize peaceful expression. India’s Constitution protects the right to freedom of speech and expression, but recent and colonial-era laws, such as sedition and criminal defamation, not only remain on the books but are frequently used in an attempt to clampdown on critics.

A demonstrator waves the Indian national flag during a protest on February 18, 2016, in New Delhi, India, demanding the release of Kanhaiya Kumar, a student union leader accused of sedition. In 2016 there has been a spike in the number of sedition cases filed nationwide. © 2016 Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters

Video

The Indian authorities routinely use vaguely worded, overly broad laws as political tools to silence and harass critics. The government should repeal or amend laws that are used to criminalize peaceful expression. India’s Constitution protects the right to freedom of speech and expression, but recent and colonial-era laws, such as sedition and criminal defamation, not only remain on the books but are frequently used in an attempt to clampdown on critics.