This is a communication of two UN Special Rapporteurs (freedom of speech and human rights defenders) to the Government of India expressing grave concern for the use of disproportionate force against student demonstrators, and the adoption of measures by state authorities in Jammu and Kashmir banning 22 social media websites and apps as well as suspending the networks providing 3G and 4G services in the region.
Topics: internet shutdown, censorship, violation of free expression, internet slowdown, suspension of internet services, blocking social media, violation of freedom of opinion, disproportionate force, non-response by Indian Government
Terms: teargas, pellet guns, shotguns, April 2017 shutdown, student demonstrations, Pulwama Degree College protests, ban on Baidu, Xanga, QQ, Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter and Skype
Similar restrictions on access to internet in the state of Jammu and Kashmir were the object of a previous communication sent to your Excellency’s Government on 28 July 2016 (AL IND 5/2016), when mass demonstrations and civil unrest following the killing of Mr. Burhan Wani led the Indian authorities to establish a ban on access to the internet, allegedly with the purpose of blocking “the dissemination of information” that could provoke violence. We thank your Excellency’s Government for your reply of 26 September 2016, which provided details on the legal framework established in India concerning the use of force by security forces in the context of demonstrations, but that nonetheless failed to address the specific reasons behind the police action in Mr. Wani’s case, and did not provide sufficient information on the motives for adopting restrictions on access to internet in that context.
May 2017
Originally published
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