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. founder and editor 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.
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
- Juan Espinoza del Villar, Midia Ninja, Bolivia
- Andrés Huanca, Abya Yala Tv, Bolivia
- Abdon Franklin de Meiroz Grilo, Brazil
- Associação Catarinense de Rádios Comuitárias, Brazil
- Aline Tatiane Adolphs, Brazil
- Ana Marta Resing, 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
- 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
- Rosimer, 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
- Kaushalya Bannerji, Artist, Canada
- Rita Kaur Dhamoon, Associate Professor, Canada
- Subho Basu, Canada
- Tyson, Rebel Youth Magazine, 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
- Ana Vracar, Peoples Health Dispatch, Croatia
- Rosa Miriam Elizalde, Dominio Cuba, Cuba
- 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
- Martín Varese, Peoples Dispatch, Ecuador
- Shaskya Cedeno, Ecuador
- Mahmoud Hashem, Africavoices.net, Egypt
- Fabien Tarrit, France
- Sevim Dagdelen, German Bundestag, Germany
- Kwesi Pratt, Jnr., Pan African Television, Ghana
- Oscar Gálvez, Voces de Iximulew, Guatemala
- Jean Waltès Bien-Aimé, Radio Resistencia, Haití
- Aashna, 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
- Mrinal Kanti Das, India
- Rajarshi Adhikary, India
- Samikkannu A V, India
- Sandip, India
- Sayantani, India
- Shabbir MohammedHaidermota, India
- Soumyaneel Dasgupta, Jadavpur University, India
- Souvik Roy, India
- Subhabrata Roy, India
- Suchetana Chattopadhyay, India
- Vijay Prashad, Globetrotter, India
- Vipasha, India
- Chris Hazzard, Ireland
- Bianca Maria, Italy
- Francesco Frisco, 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
- Ruggiero Alessandro, Italy
- Nick Deane, Jamaica
- Jennes Anderson, Jamaica
- Ahmed Kaballo, African Stream, Kenya
- Rania Khalek, BreakThrough News, Lebanon
- Kai, Malaysia
- Daniel Kent, Mexico
- Alina Duarte, De Raíz, México
- Amílcar Guerra, Personal, México
- Colectivo Editorial Incendiar el Oceano, México
- Jesús Flores, Mexico
- Sruti Bala, International Solidarity for Academic Freedom in India, Netherlands
- Liesbeth Nieuwenweg, Netherlands
- Rasmus Sandnes Haukedal, MOLD, Norway
- Adrián Hartill Montalvo, Minkaprod, Perú
- Igor Bosc, Peru
- Maria Celi, Perú
- 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
- 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
- Satyaki Bhattacharya, Sweden
- Kandis Sebro, Trinidad and Tobago
- Ben Chacko, The Morning Star, UK
- Chandak Sengoopta, UK
- David Kwao Fianko, 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
- 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
- Amanda Yee, Liberation News, US
- Amicia Huelsman, US
- Andira Alves, US
- Andrew Bankson, Liberation News, US
- Andrew Evan Hawthorn, US
- Andrew Gilkey, The Party for Socialism and Liberation, US
- Andrew Velasquez, Internet, US
- Anlin Wang, US
- Arjun Singh Sethi, Georgetown University Law Center, US
- Asad Abukhalil, 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
- Brian Becker, The Socialist Program, US
- Brianna, US
- Calla Walsh, Freelance, US
- Carli Barry, US
- Charles Xu, Qiao Collective, US
- Chris Banks, BreakThrough News, 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
- Daljit K. Soni, Esq., US
- Dan Kittridge, US
- Dana Alhasan, US
- Danny Bettio, US
- Daven McQueen, US
- David Adler, US
- Derek R. Ford, DePauw University, US
- Doug Henwood, KPFA radio, US
- Eliette Choi, US
- Emily Brease, BreakThrough News, US
- Erica Steib, US
- Estevan Hernandez, US
- Fadil Aliriza, Meshkal, US
- Faramarz Farbod, Left Turn, US
- Gabriela Silva, US
- Gerald Horne, Pacifica Radio/KPFK-Los Angeles, US
- Gloria La Riva, Pacific Media Workers Guild, US
- Grace Woods, US
- Hannah Craig, artist, US
- Hannah Dickinson, Breaking the Chains Magazine, US
- Imani Lawrence, US
- Jackie Kindall, BreakThrough News, US
- Jacqueline Luqman, Luqman Nation, US
- Jasmine Nicole Williams, artist, US
- Jason Cohen, US
- Jasper Saah, Liberation News, US
- Jayson Boucher, US
- Jesse Olsavsky, US
- Jodi Dean, US
- Jodie Evans, CODEPINK, US
- Jonathan Demetrius Amos, US
- Jordan Miller, US
- Jorge Rocha, US
- Joseph Tucker, US
- Josh Mayfield, US
- Joy-Douglass, US
- Ju-Hyun Park, The Real News, US
- Justin, US
- Kaleigh O’Keefe, Liberation News, US
- Kalonji Changa, Black Power Media, US
- Kameron Hurt, US
- Karla Reyes, Breaking the Chains, US
- Katie Halper, The Katie Halper Show, US
- Kayla Trimble, US
- Kei Pritsker, Breakthrough News, US
- Keightley Wilkins, US
- Khadija, US
- Ki-Jana Carter, Liberation News, US
- Kim Ives, Haïti Liberté, US
- Kit Baril, US
- Kyronn, US
- Layan Fuleihan, US
- Lee Camp, Dangerous Ideas, US
- Lillian House, US
- Lindsey Jordan, US
- Lyle McCormick, Liberation News, US
- M. Lafond, US
- Maddie, 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
- Mario Hernandez, US
- Marissa Rodriguez, Liberation News, US
- Matt Leslie, Fightback! News, US
- Matthew Kolln, US
- Maureen North, US
- Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, US
- Maya Lehrer, 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
- Mirah Wood, DSA International Committee, USA
- Miya Tada, US
- Natalia Marques, Peoples Dispatch, US
- Nathan Gibbs, US
- National Lawyers Guild International, US
- Nick Estes, Red Media, US
- Patricia Gorky, US
- Patrick McWilliams, Liberation News, US
- Phoebe, US
- Quynh Nguyen, US
- Rachel Domond, Liberation News, US
- Riley Petro, 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
- Sheila Xiao, US
- shenby g, artist, US
- Silvio Rodrigues, US
- Srinivas Vemuri, US
- Suzanne Adely, US
- Tahia Islam, US
- Terra Collier, US
- Tim Johnson, US
- Ujju Aggarwal, 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 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
