The United Nations Special rapporteurs have criticised the new Information Technology (IT) rules, prompting a strong rebuttal from the Indian Government. In its letter dated June 11, UN special rapporteurs on right to freedom of opinion, peaceful assembly, and privacy said India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, in their current form, do not conform with international human rights norms.
The seven-page communication expressed concerns on various other aspects of the IT rules, and asked the Government for a response. The letter is authored by Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and Joseph Cannataci, Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy.
The UN special rapporteurs in its letter said India’s new IT Rules are in violation of rules laid down in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), a key international human rights treaty.