The FreeSpeechCollective, comprising journalists, lawyers and activists, aims to protect the right to freedom of expression and to vigorously promote free speech and the right to dissent. We monitor and document violations of free speech, debate issues and analyse major developments that impact Freedom of Expression. We also seek to provide solidarity and support to those who face attacks on their freedom of expression.
Veteran actor Amol Palekar found himself stopped midway through his speech at the inaugural of the retrospective for late artist Prabhakar Barwe by none other than the Director of the National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, Anita Rupavataram. She was objecting to his comments on the lack of […]
Concerned citizens call for ‘Reclaiming the Republic’: We are a group of concerned citizens – drawn from the world of scholarship, writing, law, administration and activism – with some experience in fields such as health, education, environment, social inclusion, transparency and accountability. Some of us have worked in […]
Suman Pandey, a journalsit with the digital portal Voices, was attacked by BJP workers when he recorded a scuffle between BJP workers during a review meeting of the party in Raipur. The attackers also deleted footage from his phone,Another journalist, Vinod Dongre, was also injured in the fracas […]
Journalist Priyanka Borpujari secured anticipatory bail in a case relating to charges under Sec 353 of the Indian Penal Code on Jan 30, 2019, illustrating yet again, the complete vulnerability of journalists who cover police-citizen conflict. The case against her follows a pattern wherein police have been quick […]
Lawyers representing journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem who is detained under the National Security Act (NSA), speak to Laxmi Murthy about why slapping a preventive detention law is overkill. Imphal-based journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem, who was taken into custody by the Manipur police on November 26, 2018, was ordered to be […]
In a horrific attack, four photojournalists were injured by pellet bullets in Shopian, Kashmir, on Jan 22, 2019. The journalists had gone to Shirmal in Shopian to cover an encounter between security forces and militants and, by the looks of the injuries- on their face, neck and eyes […]
Barely 10 days into the new year and sedition was put to use, this time against prominent writer Hiren Gohain in Assam, along with activist Akhil Gogoi and journalist Manjit Mahanta. And four days later, Delhi police filed its chargesheet in the sedition case against JNU student leaders […]
Writer Nayantara Sahgal’s stirring address to the 92nd Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan at Yavatmal, Maharashtra, scheduled to have been delivered on Jan 11,2019. On Jan 6, 2019, the invitation extended to her was abruptly withdrawn. As a mark of protest after the killing of writer MM Kalburghi […]
