India must stop its “witch hunt” against civil society groups under the pretext of tackling money laundering and terrorism financing, Amnesty International has remarked following a report by a global money laundering watchdog.
Rights organizations and news outlets have long complained of harassment under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist administration, a charge the government denies.
Over the last decade, India has canceled the licenses of thousands of non-governmental organizations using the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
Charities and non-profit organizations must register under the FCRA to receive money from abroad.
However, critics say Modi’s government has sought to pressure rights groups by heavily scrutinizing their finances and clamping down on foreign funding.
Amnesty noted that the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) criticized the Indian government for its “partial compliance” with measures to protect civil society activities in a report released on Thursday.
The 40-member FATF, of which India has been a member since 2010, is mandated to tackle global money laundering and terrorist financing.
“The Indian government must take seriously the priority actions recommended by the FATF report… to stop the witch hunt under India’s anti-terror and money-laundering laws against non-profit organizations, human rights defenders, and activists,” said Aakar Patel, chair of Amnesty International India, in a statement on Thursday.
The FATF report noted “significant delays in prosecutions” in India under its money laundering and anti-terrorism laws, stating that these delays have resulted in a “high number of pending cases and accused awaiting trial.”
In 2020, Amnesty International had to suspend its Indian operations after its bank accounts were frozen.
The Indian government defended its actions, accusing Amnesty of “illegal practices” involving the transfer of “large amounts of money” from Amnesty UK to India.
Journalists critical of the government also report increased harassment, both on social media—where Modi’s ruling party has a powerful presence—and in person.
