Al Jazeera stands by Raqib Naik’s impeccable journalism and supports his professional contribution

Al Jazeera Media Network condemns the online harassment and death threats endured by freelance journalist Raqib Hameed Naik in response to his investigative report on COVID-19 relief funding to Hindu organisations based out of United States, that was published on aljazeera.com 

Naik has been a regular contributor to Al Jazeera English online, reporting from both India and America.

His report published on April 2, 2021 from the US, where he is currently based, focuses on the alleged misuse of US federal COVID-19 relief funds given to Hindu groups in the US. In the report, Naik unearthed the details of how five Hindu organisations – that received Federal COVID-19 relief funding – have ties to Hindu supremacist and religious groups back in India.

One of the groups – the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) - has filed a lawsuit in a Washington, DC, court over the report. Naik has not been named as a direct defendant, but was added as a non-party.

Naik has already reported death threats to US law enforcement agencies but he continues to face online harassment from individuals and groups for merely doing his work.

AJMN stands by Naik’s impeccable journalism and supports his professional contribution.