X account of Middle East Eye journalist covering India-Israel ties blocked

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting invoked Section 69A of the Information Technology Act to restrict access to the handle within India. The X account of Azad Essa, a US-based South African journalist and senior reporter with Middle East Eye (MEE), has been withheld in India following an order issued by the government under the Information Technology Act. Essa said he received an email from "X Support" on February 20 informing him that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had invoked Section 69A of the Information Technology Act to restrict access to his handle, @azadessa, within India. "In the interest of transparency, we are writing to inform you that X has received a blocking order from the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting citing Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, regarding your X account," the email stated, according to Essa. The message added that while access to the account would be withheld in India in compliance with local law, the content would remain available in other countries. The email, which did not carry an individual signatory, advised him that he could seek legal recourse in Indian courts if he wished to challenge the order. Essa said he was not provided with any specific reason for the action. "Given that much of my work focuses on India's ties with Israel, I can only assume that the restriction is based on this work," he said in a statement, adding that he found the move concerning. He also criticised X, alleging that the platform was complicit in restricting journalistic work despite projecting itself as a defender of free speech. There was no immediate response from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Essa, who has reported extensively on India-Israel relations and authored the book "Hostile Homelands: The New Alliance Between India and Israel," said he had faced online harassment in the past over his work.The blocking of his account comes at a time when diplomatic engagement between India and Israel remains active, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently indicating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Israel in the near future.