India: Malicious Doxing by Right-Wing Trolls Targets Rana Ayyub, Incites Harassment
November 8, 2024 - Mumbai, India
Women Press Freedom condemns the latest act of doxing against journalist Rana Ayyub, whose private phone number was maliciously posted on Twitter by a Hindu right-wing account, inviting followers to harass her.
This targeted doxing of Ayyub—who is a prominent critic of the Modi administration’s policies—poses a grave threat to her privacy and safety, as she has since been overwhelmed with video calls and “obscene” WhatsApp messages.
Ayyub has reported the harassment to the police.
Data documented by Women Press Freedom from January 2019 to July 2024 reveals alarming statistics highlighting the hostile environment for women journalists in India. Of the 178 documented cases of online harassment targeting women journalists globally, 8.4% (15 cases) originated in India. Similarly, out of 101 documented cases of organized troll campaigns, Indian journalists were the target in nearly 10% of the cases.
We strongly condemn the relentless abuse directed at Ayyub, who has been repeatedly targeted by trolls, abusers, and harassers for her courageous investigative journalism focused on human rights in India.
We stand in solidarity with Rana Ayyub and call for swift action to hold those responsible accountable, ensuring that this heinous targeting is met with justice.
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