Human rights organisation Amnesty International has halted its operations in India alleging that the government completely froze all its bank accounts in the country. 

“The complete freezing of Amnesty International India’s bank accounts by the Government of India which it came to know on 10 September 2020, brings all the work being done by the organization to a grinding halt,” a statement issued by the organisation read.

Amnesty International called the move a part of an “incessant witch-hunt” by the government. “The organisation has been compelled to let go of staff in India and pause all its ongoing campaign and research work. This is the latest in the incessant witch-hunt of human rights organisations by the Government of India over unfounded and motivated allegations,” the human rights organisation wrote in another tweet.

In a press statement, Avinash Kumar, Executive Director of Amnesty International India said that the action is a result of the organisation’s calls for transparency in the government following the human rights violation incidents in Jammu and Kashmir and during the Delhi riots.

“The continuing crackdown on Amnesty International India over the last two years and the complete freezing of bank accounts is not accidental. The constant harassment by government agencies including the Enforcement Directorate is a result of our unequivocal calls for transparency in the government, more recently for accountability of the Delhi police and the Government of India regarding the grave human rights violations in Delhi riots and Jammu and Kashmir. For a movement that has done nothing but raise its voices against injustice, this latest attack is akin to freezing dissent,” Kumar said.

According to them, in 2018, the ED raided its premises and froze several bank accounts.