"This regime is waging a relentless attack on dissent." The Pakistani state picks up, imprisons a visiting Canadian academic for social media posts.

Plus: Indian Police use AI to track, identify and expel minorities, Pakistani journalists in exile are tried in absentia & sentenced to life imprisonment.

“A direct assault on India’s secular fabric.” Why is India profiling mosques in Kashmir?

“Pushing Muslims to the wall and making them suspect is a security risk in itself. No security threat is bigger than the idea of secular India.”

Pakistan State Arrests, Sentences Human Rights Lawyers for Tweets.

"[their] only crime is that they consistently spoke up for victims of enforced disappearances and false blasphemy accusations."

Pakistan Buys Israeli Spyware. Again.

Pakistan can’t seem to get enough when it comes to spyware - once they start, they can’t stop. (Cue the Pringles jingle) Over the summer of 2025, A human rights lawyer situated in Pakistan’s Balochistan province – which has been subject to numerous internet shutdowns, and crackdowns on peaceful

"It is important to deconstruct such moral policing of the youth in this country..."

Social Media Platforms release India-specific transparency reports; Pakistan bans/unbans TikTok. Again; Looking at Pakistan's potential new media regulatory body.

"It is only an insecure and authoritarian government that uses a pandemic to arrest cartoonists, journalists, and activists."

Bangladesh's Digital Security Act; Nepal Drafts its own social media rules; Pakistan Govt to review its Social Media Rules?

"these tools of the state are, by design, not intended to protect citizens, especially women and other vulnerable groups”

Disinformation against Pakistan's feminist rallies; Pakistan bans TikTok (again).

“block, delete, or modify published news anywhere in the country without judicial oversight”

India implements its own Digital Media Rules; Pakistan govt told to amend its Social Media Rules by April 2nd; Pakistan court grants bail in a blasphemy case.

"I do not find any palpable reason for keeping a 22-year-old in custody"

As we covered in the last issue of the newsletter, the Indian government continues to be displeased with the international attention that the ongoing farmers’ protest– currently in its sixth month – has garnered in response to the government’s demands that Twitter block 250 accounts from being viewed in India.

"...public order or for preventing incitement..."

India's internet shutdowns and blocking of social media get it unwanted attention from Rihanna et al; Myanmar blocks social media to quell dissent.

"Subject to Surveillance"

Govt shuts down the internet over the Farmer’s Rally; IFF takes action against WhatsApp’s privacy policy; Is the PK govt 'ready' to review its Social Media Rules?; A Visual Story about our data.

“I am keeping a record of everything. You are all being watched. Your activities are being closely monitored.”

India: WhatsApp feels the heat; Bihar's police wants criticism to be "constructive"; The Internet Freedom Foundation launches a "Zombie Tracker"; Nepal's PM & creeping surveillance.