Government interference with Indians' internet usage has risen steadily in recent years, leading to fears authorities are attempting to curb free speech, digital advocacy groups say.
An increase in internet shutdowns since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014 has raised questions about online rights under his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Government officials ordered 42 internet shutdowns between January and August, compared to six times in all of 2014, according to data from the New Delhi-based advocacy group Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC). Nalin Kohli, a national spokesperson for the BJP, said suspending access to the internet was acceptable in cases "where rumour-mongering or motivated misinformation could lead to the incitement of violence".
Previous bans on mobile internet services in Indian-administered Kashmir, where about 100 people have died in clashes since a separatist commander was killed in July 2016, were condemned by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human rights as having "the character of collective punishment".
Read full article on Al Jazeera
An increase in internet shutdowns since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014 has raised questions about online rights under his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Government officials ordered 42 internet shutdowns between January and August, compared to six times in all of 2014, according to data from the New Delhi-based advocacy group Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC). Nalin Kohli, a national spokesperson for the BJP, said suspending access to the internet was acceptable in cases "where rumour-mongering or motivated misinformation could lead to the incitement of violence".
Previous bans on mobile internet services in Indian-administered Kashmir, where about 100 people have died in clashes since a separatist commander was killed in July 2016, were condemned by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human rights as having "the character of collective punishment".
Read full article on Al Jazeera
Comments
Post a Comment
Drop a comment