Hi everyone, I, Kabir Darshan Singh Choudhary, am a Senior Counsel at the Wikimedia Foundation’s Legal Department. The Foundation is in receipt of your message(s) regarding the developments in India around a defamation suit filed by ANI.
We are currently reviewing the recent order of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court and will take all necessary actions, in accordance with applicable laws, to ensure that the people of India continue to have the right to share and access free and reliable knowledge in an open and safe online environment. The Wikimedia Foundation is committed to safeguarding the rights of Wikimedia community members and preserving uninterrupted access to Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects in India. As a standard practice, we do not share specific details of ongoing legal cases that are sub-judice. Additionally, since this is an active legal case, we recommend caution while sharing, discussing, or speculating on the topic. Please contact [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> for any trust and safety concerns. Also, please direct any press inquiries you receive to [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>. On behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation Kabir Darshan Singh Choudhary Senior Counsel > Subject: [WikimediaIndia-l] Re: Court Verdict on Wikipedia > To: Wikimedia India Community list <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> > > > This was long overdue, I'm glad it's finally happening. > > Let the Court decide and WMF respond. > > Those who are questioning the Court and trying to draw conclusions here are > the culprits and anti-nationals. > And they don't understand the basic principles of Wikimedia on which it > stands so strong. > > Innocent Wikimedians have no clue about the sinister agendas of Left cabals > against India! > > Thanks Jayantilal for the information. > > > On Tue, 10 Sept, 2024, 19:24 Sudhanwa Jogalekar, <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> Dear Subhashish, >> >> >> Good to see your declaration about writing in personal capacity and not as >> any wmf person. Earlier, that disclaimer used to the first line in any mail >> by any wmf person. >> >> I have just one line about you in my earlier message and that too about the >> unusual contradictory behaviour as a wikipedian. Not sure why you take it so >> personally. >> >> >> Well, as of now, I have not read any article that you have mentioned. ANI >> or opindia or other reports you mentioned. >> >> If the quote about ANI is there in the article, I think it's not online with >> the Wikipedia policy of remaining unbiased and not giving opinions. Not sure >> why other senior editors has kept it in the article and not objected about >> it. >> >> And if that line is still there in the article, I suppose ANI has every >> right to go to the court and file a case against Wikipedia. >> >> And if the court has accepted the case, that means it makes some sense. >> >> The main discussion here is about the court case and response (rather lack >> of it) by Wikipedia/wmf/whoever is representing them. >> >> Earlier, we have seen so many responses on simple, non relevant topics by >> wmf staffers. Why in this important case, there is no stand taken or there >> is no public response by any staffer? That's the main point and Wikipedians >> are worried about it. Others are in a confused state and taking the left >> winger/right winger kind of opinions personally and getting hurt by it. >> >> >> So, let's keep the discussion to the court case and response by wmf >> staffers. More it goes in other direction, more harmful to everyone here. >> >> >> Regards >> Sudhanwa >> >> >> On Tue, 10 Sept, 2024, 5:07 pm Subhashish, <[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>> Thank you, Tasleemah! >>> >>> Jayantilal, please refrain from assuming that I have taken asylum in >>> Canada. Please stop attacking personally another Wikimedian and digging up >>> their personal lives. Stay on the subject, not people you don't agree with. >>> People ought to disagree on their stands on a subject. That neither makes >>> them enemies or requires personal attack. >>> >>> Everything I'm writing here is in my personal capacity and is purely about >>> this issue, rather than any individual. Sudhanwa, Yohann and you are >>> members of this community, and I have nothing against you, though you and >>> Sudhanwa have sadly chosen to personally attack me rather than discussing >>> the issue at hand. >>> >>> I'm sure you've read the Wikipedia article lede about OpIndia that says, >>> "OpIndia is an Indian right-wing news website known for frequently >>> publishing misinformation.". And yet you choose to call their post a >>> "report" and attack me personally. >>> >>> Secondly, the ANI Wikipedia entry says: >>> >>> 'Long-form reports by The Caravan and The Ken, along with reports by other >>> media watchdogs have detailed how the agency has served as a propaganda >>> tool of the incumbent government." >>> >>> What's very clear is that the Wikipedia entry merely cites prior reports >>> published and available publicly. Wikipedia does is *NOT* a primary source >>> of information. Anyone who has made any serious Wikipedia edits, would know >>> that already. >>> >>> Mishi Choudhary, a renowned lawyer and free software advocate has written >>> about this in her recent tweet: >>> >>> https://x.com/MishiChoudhary/status/1832527564541186071?t=rmQdJUUag5GK2NhYp3fwdA&s=19 >>> >>> >>> >>> Lastly, the Wikimedia community is not responsible for what's published in >>> the Ken and the Caravan reports. I haven't personally edited the ANI >>> article, but would assume good faith that the Wikipedians who have >>> contributed to the same have summarized news reports and cited those >>> reports. That to me is how Wikipedia articles are written. Since Wikimedia >>> Foundation manages the Wikipedia servers, the honourable court must have >>> summoned them. Jayantilal, you chose to ignore the Trust and Safety contact >>> I shared but it would valuable to reach out to them and inform about your >>> worries. They are good people and are trained to handle community safety >>> and security-related issues. In my last email I merely pointed out that WMF >>> staffers that are not a part of the T&S team wouldn't know the best >>> recourse. I don't know much what's happening with WCI but that's unrelated >>> and I wouldn't assume that any professional doing their job is oblivious to >>> a real issue and is focusing on an event. >>> >>> That said, the issue is real and need WMF's attention. Ad hominem is the >>> last way to solve it. >>> >>> Subhashish >>> >>> On Tue, 10 Sept, 2024, 2:35 am abdulkareem tesleemah, <[email protected] >>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>> I have also reached out to the chair of the WMF BoT, I don't know if it >>>> that will help speed up the process from the legal end. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Tesleemah. >>>> >>>> On Tue, 10 Sept 2024, 07:09 abdulkareem tesleemah, <[email protected] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>>> This article released by opindia is flawed in all angles. Continually >>>>> dragging editors is the highest of it and using the openness of the >>>>> community against it, or how many community can you access that much >>>>> information? This is a propaganda and a backlash on all Wikimedia >>>>> editors, not just the community in India. >>>>> >>>>> Looking forward to back up plans by the legal committee and the >>>>> administrators from india as I am sure this issue will be addressed soon. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Tue, 10 Sept 2024, 03:26 Jayantilal Kothari, <[email protected] >>>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>>>> https://www.opindia.com/2024/09/opindia-wikipedia-full-research-paper-left-bias-financial-links-india-law/?s=08 >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Hello, >>>>>> >>>>>> Please check this report, while I don't really agree with what's said >>>>>> here in any way, I am worried because we volunteers don't know what >>>>>> steps are being taken if any. I won't be surprised if WMF is more >>>>>> interested in collecting funds from fundraising and ignoring high court >>>>>> and the backlash. >>>>>> >>>>>> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bkwkylx0KcfSGnyVkhEApeJfIkTwVdjf/view?usp=drive_link >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> They are even writing on Google and Wikimedia Foundation and calling our >>>>>> editors anti-national. This needs to be stopped. >>>>>> >>>>>> Subhashish, while it may be easy for you to dismiss these issues while >>>>>> taking asylum in Canada, please see the emotional torture this takes on >>>>>> other sincere editors and volunteers in India. After years of passionate >>>>>> volunteering, they now find themselves unjustly shamed. This is >>>>>> absolutely ridiculous. >>>>>> >>>>>> I am loyal to both my country and to Wikipedia - they are intertwined in >>>>>> my heart. Yet, I find myself increasingly disappointed with the >>>>>> actions—or inactions—of certain Wikimedia employees. It is high time >>>>>> look beyond Wiki Conference India plans and take sensible meaningful >>>>>> actions. Our community deserves better. >>>>>> >>>>>> Regards, >>>>>> >>>>>> Jayantilal >>>>>> >>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Sat, 7 Sep 2024 at 3:36 AM, Yohann Thomas <[email protected] >>>>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>>>>> Contempt of court is a very serious matter. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Generally, the WMF legal team is very prompt to handle such matters. In >>>>>>> the past, the legal team generally hires very good representatives to >>>>>>> sort such issues , but in this case , it looks it's got escalated a >>>>>>> bit. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hope someone from the WMF legal team replies on the thread. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Cheers, >>>>>>> Yohann >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Sat, 7 Sept 2024, 05:09 Jayantilal Kothari, <[email protected] >>>>>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>>>>>> Hi, I am sure most of you have already read Delhi Court comments on >>>>>>>> Wikipedia. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ani-wikipedia-defamation-case-if-you-dont-like-india-delhi-high-courts-tough-talk-for-wikipedia-6496462/amp/1 >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> As a long time editor most of us don't like such things. We do edits >>>>>>>> based on referencing and not personal interest. There are pages on >>>>>>>> other language Wikipedia which are biased but not English. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Even if someone tries to do it some other editor gets it corrected. >>>>>>>> Now as a Wikipedian I want to know what steps are staff members >>>>>>>> taking. >>>>>>>> There are so many staff members in India never in history but no one >>>>>>>> is replying. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I have personally tried asking two of them. One person said he does >>>>>>>> not look into it while others told me she is more interested in doing >>>>>>>> WikiConference India 2025. Someone from staff please reply to this >>>>>>>> present situation and inform the volunteers on what steps you are >>>>>>>> taking. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Please don't treat Indian Courts lightly. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Regards, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Jayantilal >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
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