India: Weaponizing Counterterrorism: India’s exploitation of terrorism financing assessments to target the civil society

The Indian government has exploited the 2010 and 2013 Financial Action Task Force (FATF) assessment reports to supplement its arsenal of counterterrorism and money laundering laws, many of which are routinely used to target civil society organisations and human rights defenders. The briefing paper analyses the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act and highlights the emblematic cases of the crackdown suffered by journalists, academics, human rights activists, and students under these laws since 2010. Amnesty International calls on the FATF and its member states to not allow these laws to further the clampdown on dissent in India which has systematically eroded the rights to freedom of association and freedom of expression in the country.

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