In India, Peaceful Expression is Silenced by Law

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.