In response to Germany’s criticism regarding the arrest of Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of AltNews, India asserted on Thursday that “uninformed” remarks are “unhelpful” and should be avoided. Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), stated that the matter is a domestic issue and emphasized that a judicial process is underway. Bagchi refrained from commenting on a case that is sub-judice, highlighting the recognized independence of the judiciary and discouraging uninformed comments.
The MEA spokesperson’s remarks came after a German foreign ministry official expressed concerns about police action against Zubair, stating that journalists should not be “persecuted and imprisoned” for their expressions. The German official emphasized the importance of free reporting for the benefit of society and expressed concern about restrictions on it. The German spokesperson mentioned that their embassy in New Delhi is closely monitoring the specific case.
Referring to the ongoing human rights dialogue between the European Union and India, the German spokesperson underscored the focus on freedom of expression and the press. The spokesperson noted that India, as the world’s largest democracy, is expected to uphold democratic values, including freedom of expression and the press.
Mohammed Zubair was arrested by a cyber unit of Delhi Police last week on charges of allegedly hurting religious sentiments, based on a complaint from a social media user regarding a tweet from 2018. The Supreme Court has scheduled an urgent hearing for Zubair’s bail plea on Friday. Previously, a spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also emphasized that journalists should not be jailed for their expressions, and people should be allowed to express themselves freely without the threat of harassment.