Facebook linked to free speech crackdown in India after lobbyist files charges

A Facebook policy executive out of the company’s India offices has filed a criminal complaint against a journalist, Awesh Tiwari, alleging his critical post he published on the social network constitutes sexual harassment, criminal intimidation, and defamation. Yet the complaint produces no evidence Tiwari engaged in such conduct, according to a report from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and many press advocates are seeing it as an attempt to intimidate journalism critical of the ruling regime.

Tiwari says the claims are “baseless” and designed to intimidate him into silence and he has filed counter-claims against the Facebook employee, according to a separate report from Newslaundry. The CPJ is also calling for the...

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