Press Freedom: RMN News Site Blocked by Government of India
Screenshot of the Blocked News Site Raman Media Network
Press Freedom: RMN News Site Blocked by Government of India
Update: After blocking my news site Raman Media Network for many hours, the government has unblocked it at 12:15 p.m. today (November 15, 2018).
My Story:
I am a journalist and founder of the humanitarian organization RMN Foundation. After working at senior editorial positions with leading media organizations, I have been running my own global news services (including Raman Media Network) for the past over 7 years. Earlier, I was associated with the United Nations (UN) through United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as a digital media expert.
Today (November 15, 2018) when I tried to open my news site Raman Media Network (http://www.ramanmedianetwork.com/), I could not open it. Instead I got the message on the web page: “Your requested URL has been blocked as per the directions received from Department of Telecommunications, Government of India. Please contact administrator for more information.”
Message that Department of Telecommunications, Government of India has blocked the site.
When after my repeated attempts, I was not able to open my site, I sent a Twitter message to Mr. Manoj Sinha, Minister of State for India’s Ministry of Communications as well as the Prime Minister Office (PMO India). However, I did not get any response, and my news site would keep showing the “blocked” message even after many hours of wait to get it unblocked.
My Twitter message to Mr. Manoj Sinha, Minister of State for India’s Ministry of Communications as well as the Prime Minister Office (PMO India)
There is no problem on the server side because I can partially open my site using a proxy service. And in all probability it is working in countries outside India. But I fail to understand why it has been blocked in India. You can click here to visit my site on a proxy service.
Although I have written a number of reports that reveal Indian government’s attacks on press freedom, at this stage I do not want to ascribe such a motive behind the blockage of my news site.
Now, I am writing this article on my technology news site RMN Digital with the hope that it will not get blocked by the government.
I also urge the Government of India that it should unblock my news site immediately. And if it is an attempt to suppress my voice as a journalist, the government should not commit such a despotic act.
Rakesh Raman
Founder
RMN Foundation
463, DPS Apts., Plot No. 16
Sector 4, Dwarka, Phase I
New Delhi 110 075, INDIA
Contact by E-mail
