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