A week after an FIR by Bengaluru Police, now the Twitter account of the former head of Amnesty International India and journalist, Aakar Patel, has been "withheld in India in response to a legal demand".
In a notice to Patel, Twitter informed that his account has been withheld in India following a legal removal demand regarding his account. However, the notice said that the content will remain available elsewhere.
"Following the Indian legal process, we are in current communication with the Indian authorities who issued this legal demand in which your account was included. We will notify you if there are any changes to the status of your account," Twitter informed Patel.
Notice by Twitter to Aakar Patel. | FPJ
While talking about the issue, the Patel told FPJ that he has not received any intimation from the police yet and he got to know about the news through media outlets.
The activist also said, "I can’t take legal action without a case, as I don’t know who filed the complaint. I believe Twitter received a document from the government, but don’t know its content."
The police in Bengaluru on 2nd June filed an FIR against the activist, journalist, and the former head of Amnesty International India Aakar Patel for a tweet calling for the US like protests (against the death of George Floyd) in India against atrocities committed on Dalits, women, Muslims, and Adivasis.
The tweet by Aakar read: “We need protests like these. From Dalits and Muslims and Adivasis. And the poor. And women. The world will notice. Protest is a craft.”
The controversial tweet. |
The FIR was registered at the JC Nagar Police Station in Bengaluru under Sections, 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 117 (Abetting commission of the offence by the public or by more than ten persons) and 505 (1)B of the IPC, which deals with statements with intent to cause mischief, or likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offense against the State or against the public tranquillity.
