Solidarity Statement for Those Attacked by Hindu American Foundation’s SLAPP Suit - IAMC

Solidarity Statement for Those Attacked by Hindu American Foundation’s SLAPP Suit

We stand with John Prabhudoss of FIACONA; Sunita Viswanath and Raju Rajagopal of Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR); Rasheed Ahmed of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC); and Prof. Audrey Truschke of Rutgers University, Newark against the attempt, by Hindu American Foundation (HAF), to intimidate and silence them. We also stand with journalist Raqib Hameed Naik against scurrilous attacks against him; and with Al Jazeera against HAF’s attempt to force them to take down articles they have verified and published. 

 

This aggressive lawsuit, filed against these individuals, is an attempt to curtail free speech and free expression exercised by a reputed media house and its readers. The lawsuit, filed against individuals using a law firm, is a tactic to silence public participation and an attempt to drown out voices and views that do not conform with HAF’s. It is therefore a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, or SLAPP suit, to shut down critiques of organizations and ideologies, and hurts the first amendment rights of the American people.

 

We, the undersigned organizations, will continue our unstinting support of the individuals and organizations being subjected to this harassment.

 

We are fully confident that, during this time of overwhelming crisis in India, no amount of intimidation will stop any of us from working hard on our mission of providing support for and fighting for the rights of all Indians.

 

The individuals and organizations under attack will neither back down, nor be derailed or silenced by these efforts. Neither will we.

 

Signatories, in alphabetical order:

 

  1. Alliance of South Asians Taking Action (ASATA), USA
  2. Ambedkar International Center, USA
  3. Ambedkar King Study Circle, USA
  4. Asian American Feminist Collective, USA
  5. Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, Philadelphia chapter, USA
  6. Boston South Asian Coalition (BSAC), USA
  7. Brown & Green: South Asians for Climate Justice, Berkeley, CA, USA
  8. Canadians Against Oppression and Persecution (CAOP), Canada
  9. Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE), New Zealand
  10. Center for Pluralism, USA
  11. Coalition Against Fascism in India (CAFI), USA
  12. Coalition of Seattle Indian Americans, USA
  13. Dalit Solidarity Forum, USA
  14. Foundation: The London Story, Europe
  15. Friends of India, Texas, USA
  16. Genocide Watch, USA
  17. Global Indian Progressive Alliance, USA
  18. Global Secular Hindu Forum, UK
  19. GreenFaith, International
  20. The Humanism Project, Australia
  21. India Civil Watch International, North America
  22. Indian Solidarity Finland, Finland
  23. International Solidarity for Academic Freedom in India (InSAF), International
  24. Micah Interfaith Council, USA
  25. Muslims for Progressive Values, USA
  26. New Zealanders United to Save the Indian Constitution (NZUSIA), New Zealand
  27. Peace Vigil, USA
  28. People Against Apartheid and Fascism (PAAF), South Africa
  29. Poetic Justice Foundation, Canada
  30. Program Equity, USA
  31. Progressive India Collective, USA
  32. Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus, USA
  33. Scottish Indians for Justice (SIFJ), Scotland
  34. South Asian Left Activist Movement, USA
  35. South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD), Canada
  36. South Asia Research and Resource Centre (CERAS), Canada
  37. South Asia Solidarity Group, UK
  38. Students Against Hindutva Ideology, USA
  39. Teesri Duniya Theatre, Canada
  40. Voices Against Fascism in India, USA