The Indian government froze all bank accounts of Amnesty International India, citing allegations of money laundering and violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). This led to the suspension of Amnesty International India's operations and staff layoffs.
Amnesty International India denies all allegations, claiming the actions are intended to silence dissent. They highlight multiple raids on their offices by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2018 and 2019 based on unsubstantiated claims. The organization emphasizes its full compliance with Indian and international laws and notes that its funding is primarily from domestic sources, rendering the FCRA inapplicable.
Amnesty International India suggests the government's actions are a reprisal for their outspoken criticism of the government's handling of human rights issues, specifically mentioning the Delhi riots and the situation in Jammu & Kashmir. They view the crackdown as part of a broader pattern of repression against human rights activists and organizations who challenge the government.
Amnesty states over four million Indians have supported their work, with approximately 100,000 making financial contributions. They argue that this domestic funding model is incompatible with money laundering allegations.