300+ Journalists, Political Leaders, Artists, And Academics Sign Letter In Support Of Newsclick

Days after the mass raids on journalists in India, personalities from over 30 countries reject the attack on press freedom.

Call for the immediate release of those detained.

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., Managing Editor of The Insight Newspaper and founder 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.

Add your signature here.

Signatories:

1. Andrea Ross, Frente Patria Grande, Argentina
2. Erika Gimenez, ARG Medios, Argentina
3. Facundo, Comuna, Argentina
4. Fernando Rule Castro, Argentina
5. Francisco Rodrigo Farina, Editorial El Colectivo, Argentina
6. Francisco Vértiz, Editorial Batalla de Ideas, Argentina
7. Julián Pilatti, Arg medios, Argentina
8. Lautaro Rivara, Argentina
9. Manuel Bertoldi, Arg Medios, Argentina
10. Paula Klachko, Argentina
11. Sofia Urosevich, ARG Medios, Argentina
12. Gabriel Shipton, Australia
13. Red Ant Collective, Australia
14. Salami Nidol, SamSin TV, Bénin
15. Juan Espinoza del Villar, Midia Ninja, Bolivia
16. Andrés Huanca, Abya Yala Tv, Bolivia
17. Abdon Franklin de Meiroz Grilo, Brazil
18. Associação Catarinense de Rádios Comuitárias, Brazil
19. Aline Tatiane Adolphs, Brazil
20. Ana Marta Resing, Brazil
21. Claudio Antonio Ribeiro, Aposentado, Brazil
22. Eliane Silveira, Sindicato dos Jornalistas do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
23. Gabriella Petroni, Brazil de Fato, Brazil
24. João Carlos Santin, Jornalismo RadCom, Brazil
25. João Costa, Jornalista, Brazil
26. Joaquim Soriano, Brazil
27. Katia Camargo, Brazil
28. Katia Marko, Brazil de Fato RS, Brazil
29. Lara Sfair, ABI, Brazil
30. Laura Santos Rocha, Sindicato de Jornalistas Profissionais do Rio Grande do Sul  (SindJoRS), Brazil
31. Leandro Melito Ferreira, Freelancer, Brazil
32. Leda Beck, APJor, Brazil
33. Leila Tais Vicari, Verdeperto Comunicação, Brazil
34. Letícia Castro, Imprensa, Brazil
35. Luiz Fernando Taranto, Brazil
36. Marcos Ferreira, Brazil
37. Maria, Brasil de Fato, Brazil
38. Martha Raquel Rodrigues, Jornalistas Livres, Brazil
39. Niara de Oliveira, freelancer, Brazil
40. Nina Fideles, Brasil de Fato, Brazil
41. Rosimer, Brazil
42. Vivian Neves Fernandes, Brazil
43. Vladimir Sacchetta, Porviroscópio Projetos e conteúdos, Brazil
44. Wevergton Brito Lima, Site i21.org.br, Brazil
45. Amrit, Canada
46. Bals Sithamparapillai, Canada
47. Davina Bhandar, Canada
48. Kaushalya Bannerji, Artist, Canada
49. Rita Kaur Dhamoon, Associate Professor, Canada
50. Subho Basu, Canada
51. Tyson, Rebel Youth Magazine, Canada
52. Claudio De Negri, Communist Party of Chile, Chile
53. Taroa Zúñiga Silva, Globetrotter, Chile
54. Pablo Abufom, Revista Posiciones, Chile
55. Patricia Silva Soto, Chile
56. Tings Chak, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, China
57. Ana Vracar, Peoples Health Dispatch, Croatia
58. Rosa Miriam Elizalde, Dominio Cuba, Cuba
59. Anabel, Ecuador
60. Cristina Estefanía Indemini Báez, Ecuador
61. Diana Almeida, Revista Crisis, Ecuador
62. Hernán Acevedo Valarezo, Colectivo La Raiz – Pensamiento Crítico, Ecuador
63. Irene León, REDH, Ecuador
64. Martín Varese, Peoples Dispatch, Ecuador
65. Shaskya Cedeno, Ecuador
66. Mahmoud Hashem, Africavoices.net, Egypt
67. Fabien Tarrit, France
68. Sevim Dagdelen, German Bundestag, Germany
69. Kwesi Pratt, Jnr., Pan African Television, Ghana
70. Oscar Gálvez, Voces de Iximulew, Guatemala
71. Jean Waltès Bien-Aimé, Radio Resistencia, Haití
72. Aashna, India
73. Abhisek Roy Barman, India
74. Adhiraaj Ray, Advocate – Calcutta High Court, India
75. Aravind KS, India
76. Arjun Sengupta, India
77. Barun Bandyopadhyay, India
78. C. Saratchand, University of Delhi, India
79. Chandra, India/UK
80. Dr. Mihirlal Roy, India
81. India and Global Left, India
82. Mrinal Kanti Das, India
83. Rajarshi Adhikary, India
84. Samikkannu A V, India
85. Sandip, India
86. Sayantani, India
87. Shabbir MohammedHaidermota, India
88. Soumyaneel Dasgupta, Jadavpur University, India
89. Souvik Roy, India
90. Subhabrata Roy, India
91. Suchetana Chattopadhyay, India
92. Vijay Prashad, Globetrotter, India
93. Vipasha, India
94. Chris Hazzard, Ireland
95. Bianca Maria, Italy
96. Francesco Frisco, Italy
97. Giuliano Granato, Italy
98. Giuseppe, Italy
99. Luigi Rosanova, Italy
100. Maurizio Coppola, freelance, Italy
101. Nicola, Italy
102. Nicoletta Manuzzato, Italy
103. Partito della Rifondazione Comunista – Sinistra Europea, Italy
104. Roberto Evangelista, Italy
105. Ruggiero Alessandro, Italy
106. Nick Deane, Jamaica
107. Jennes Anderson, Jamaica
108. Ahmed Kaballo, African Stream, Kenya
109. Rania Khalek, BreakThrough News, Lebanon
110. Kai, Malaysia
111. Daniel Kent, Mexico
112. Alina Duarte, De Raíz, México
113. Amílcar Guerra, Personal, México
114. Colectivo Editorial Incendiar el Oceano, México
115. Jesús Flores, Mexico
116. Sruti Bala, International Solidarity for Academic Freedom in India, Netherlands
117. Liesbeth Nieuwenweg, Netherlands
118. Rasmus Sandnes Haukedal, MOLD, Norway
119. ​​Adrián Hartill Montalvo, Minkaprod, Perú
120. Igor Bosc, Peru
121. Maria Celi, Perú
122. Luis de Jesús, BreakThrough News, Puerto Rico
123. Selena Nadal, Exprimiendo La Calle, Puerto Rico
124. Edda López Serrano, Independiente, Puerto Rico
125. Artemiy Semenovskiy, Russia
126. Henry Hakamaki, Guerrilla History, Russia
127. Noa Treister, Serbia
128. Efemia Chela, Inkani Books, South Africa
129. Mqapheli, AbahlalibaseMjondolo, South Africa
130. Pretty Sinenhlanhla, South Africa
131. Richard, Academic & journalist, South Africa
132. S’bu. Zikode, Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA., South Africa
133. Solly Mapaila, Secretary General of the South African Communist Party and African Communist Journal Editor in Chief, South Africa
134. Thapelo Mohapi, Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA, South Africa
135. Vashna Jagarnath, NUMSA, South Africa
136. Satyaki Bhattacharya, Sweden
137. Kandis Sebro, Trinidad and Tobago
138. Ben Chacko, The Morning Star, UK
139. Chandak Sengoopta, UK
140. David Kwao Fianko, UK
141. Erol-Antony McKenzie, UK
142. Fiona Edwards, Eyes on Latin America, UK
143. Joe, Counter Punch, UK
144. John McEvoy, Declassified UK, UK
145. Johnnie Hunter, Communist Party of Britain, UK
146. Prof Lyla Mehta, UK
147. Roger McKenzie, International Editor, Morning Star News, UK
148. Subir Sinha, UK
149. Taj Ali, Tribune Magazine, UK
150. Aakansha Jain, US
151. Abby Martin, The Empire Files, US
152. Abel, US
153. Afnan Ismail, US
154. Aimée Artigliere, US
155. Akiksha Chatterji, US
156. Amanda Yee, Liberation News, US
157. Amicia Huelsman, US
158. Andira Alves, US
159. Andrew Bankson, Liberation News, US
160. Andrew Evan Hawthorn, US
161. Andrew Gilkey, The Party for Socialism and Liberation, US
162. Andrew Velasquez, Internet, US
163. Anlin Wang, US
164. Arjun Singh Sethi, Georgetown University Law Center, US
165. Asad Abukhalil, US
166. Austin Williams, US
167. Ben Norton, Geopolitical Economy Report, US
168. Ben Thomason, Academic, Bowling Green State University, US
169. Benjamin Zinevich, Liberation News, US
170. Bhaskar Sunkara, President – The Nation Magazine, US
171. Bobby Ewing, US
172. Brayan Zambrano, US
173. Brian Becker, The Socialist Program, US
174. Brianna, US
175. Calla Walsh, Freelance, US
176. Carli Barry, US
177. Charles Xu, Qiao Collective, US
178. Chris Banks, BreakThrough News, US
179. Christian Garramone, US
180. Christian Torre, US
181. Chuck Modi, Independent, US
182. Claire Cook, US
183. Claudia O’Brien Moscoso, Black Agenda Report, US
184. Cody Cogdell, US
185. Cori, US
186. Craig Birchfield, Breakthrough News, US
187. Daljit K. Soni, Esq., US
188. Dan Kittridge, US
189. Dana Alhasan, US
190. Danny Bettio, US
191. Daven McQueen, US
192. David Adler, US
193. Derek R. Ford, DePauw University, US
194. Doug Henwood, KPFA radio, US
195. Eliette Choi, US
196. Emily Brease, BreakThrough News, US
197. Erica Steib, US
198. Estevan Hernandez, US
199. Fadil Aliriza, Meshkal, US
200. Faramarz Farbod, Left Turn, US
201. Gabriela Silva, US
202. Gerald Horne, Pacifica Radio/KPFK-Los Angeles, US
203. Gloria La Riva, Pacific Media Workers Guild, US
204. Grace Woods, US
205. Hannah Craig, artist, US
206. Hannah Dickinson, Breaking the Chains Magazine, US
207. Imani Lawrence, US
208. Jackie Kindall, BreakThrough News, US
209. Jacqueline Luqman, Luqman Nation, US
210. Jasmine Nicole Williams, artist, US
211. Jason Cohen, US
212. Jasper Saah, Liberation News, US
213. Jayson Boucher, US
214. Jesse Olsavsky, US
215. Jodi Dean, US
216. Jodie Evans, CODEPINK, US
217. Jonathan Demetrius Amos, US
218. Jordan Miller, US
219. Jorge Rocha, US
220. Joseph Tucker, US
221. Josh Mayfield, US
222. Joy-Douglass, US
223. Ju-Hyun Park, The Real News, US
224. Justin, US
225. Kaleigh O’Keefe, Liberation News, US
226. Kalonji Changa, Black Power Media, US
227. Kameron Hurt, US
228. Karla Reyes, Breaking the Chains, US
229. Katie Halper, The Katie Halper Show, US
230. Kayla Trimble, US
231. Kei Pritsker, Breakthrough News, US
232. Keightley Wilkins, US
233. Khadija, US
234. Ki-Jana Carter, Liberation News, US
235. Kim Ives, Haïti Liberté, US
236. Kit Baril, US
237. Kyronn, US
238. Layan Fuleihan, US
239. Lee Camp, Dangerous Ideas, US
240. Lillian House, US
241. Lindsey Jordan, US
242. Lyle McCormick, Liberation News, US
243. M. Lafond, US
244. Maddie, US
245. Malini Ranganathan, American University, US
246. Manolo De Los Santos, The People’s Forum, US
247. Manu Karuka, 1804 Books, US
248. Margaret Flowers, Popular Resistance, US
249. Maria Hermsen-Kritz, US
250. Mariam, US
251. Mario Hernandez, US
252. Marissa Rodriguez, Liberation News, US
253. Matt Leslie, Fightback! News, US
254. Matthew Kolln, US
255. Maureen North, US
256. Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, US
257. Maya Lehrer, US
258. Micah Fong, Breakthrough News, US
259. Michael Anderson, FightBack! News, US
260. Michael Blosser, Labor Researcher, Treasurer United Union Professionals (UUP), US
261. Mike Prysner, The Empire Files, US
262. Mirah Wood, DSA International Committee, USA
263. Miya Tada, US
264. Natalia Marques, Peoples Dispatch, US
265. Nathan Gibbs, US
266. National Lawyers Guild International, US
267. Nick Estes, Red Media, US
268. Patricia Gorky, US
269. Patrick McWilliams, Liberation News, US
270. Phoebe, US
271. Quynh Nguyen, US
272. Rachel Domond, Liberation News, US
273. Riley Petro, US
274. Ryan Hamby, The People’s Forum, US
275. Ryan Kidwiler, US
276. Saidi Moseley, US
277. Sam Schaefer, US
278. Sam Weisman, US
279. Samantha Agarwal, American University, US
280. Sameena Rahman, US
281. Sammi Mathew, US
282. Santos Hernandez, US
283. Sarah Brummet, US
284. Sarah Bryski-Hamrick, US
285. Satya Mohapatra, US
286. Sean Blackmon, By Any Means Necessary, US
287. Shana Nicholson, US
288. Sheila Xiao, US
289. shenby g, artist, US
290. Silvio Rodrigues, US
291. Srinivas Vemuri, US
292. Suzanne Adely, US
293. Tahia Islam, US
294. Terra Collier, US
295. Tim Johnson, US
296. Ujju Aggarwal, US
297. Verdi Feltman, US
298. Vipulya Chari, US
299. Vivek Venkatraman, artist, US
300. Walter Smolarek, Liberation News, US
301. Will Kohr, US
302. William I Robinson, University of California at Santa Barbara, US
303. William Whiteman, Albuquerque Teachers Federation AFT Local 1420, US
304. Winchellyn Sy, US
305. Zach Farber, Liberation News, US
306. Zoe Alexandra, Peoples Dispatch, US
307. Carlos Molinares, Venezuela
308. Florangel Valdez, Venezuela
309. Giuliano, independent journalist, Venezuela
310. Laura Franco, Instituto Simón Bolívar, Venezuela
311. Luis Alfredo Mancera Pérez, Universidad Nacional Experimental de las Artes, Venezuela
312. Maribel Rosario, Defensoría Universitaria, Venezuela
313. Zabdiela, LSB, Venezuela
314. ALBA Movimientos
315. Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
316. Activist News Network
317. Margaret Flowers, Popular Resistance, US

This list was updated on the morning of Friday October 6.