Meta has complied with a legal request from the Indian government to block access to the highly followed Instagram page, @Muslim, which has over 6.7 million followers.
The move, announced Wednesday by the account’s founder Ameer Al-Khatahtbeh, has sparked accusations of censorship as relations between India and Pakistan have soured in the wake of escalating violence.
Instagram users in India attempting to access the @Muslim page were met with a message that read: "Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content." The ban, which has silenced one of the most significant Muslim news platforms on the social media network, comes amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, following the deadliest military exchange in two decades.
Khatahtbeh, the founder and editor-in-chief of the account, expressed frustration over the censorship, saying he had received "hundreds of messages, emails, and comments" from followers in India, all lamenting their inability to access the page. In a statement, he condemned the move, stating, “Meta has blocked the @Muslim account by legal request of the Indian government. This is censorship.”
Meta, the parent company of Instagram, did not offer an immediate comment. A spokesperson directed AFP to the company’s public policy on restricting content when it is deemed to be in violation of local laws.
The timing of the ban coincides with ongoing hostilities between India and Pakistan, particularly along the contested Kashmir border. Recent violence has resulted in at least 43 deaths and sparked a war of words between the two nations, further exacerbating an already volatile situation. The Indian government has accused Pakistan of supporting an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, while Pakistan denies the allegations and has vowed to retaliate against Indian military strikes.
The @Muslim Instagram account is known for its coverage of global Muslim news and has become one of the most influential social media outlets for Muslim communities worldwide. Khatahtbeh, however, remains defiant, emphasizing that such attempts to silence media only strengthen his resolve. “When platforms and countries try to silence media, it tells us that we are doing our job in holding those in power accountable,” he said. He further appealed to Meta to reinstate the account in India, calling for justice and transparency in reporting.
The ban also adds to a growing list of social media restrictions in India, with the Indian government having previously blocked more than a dozen Pakistani YouTube channels accused of spreading “provocative” content. The Indian authorities have also restricted access to the social media accounts of prominent Pakistani figures, including former prime minister Imran Khan and cricket stars like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
The rising hostilities between the two nations have also seen a surge in online misinformation, with social media users circulating misleading videos, deepfakes, and outdated images falsely linked to the current conflict. This has further complicated the already tense narrative between India and Pakistan.
In an international diplomatic response, former US President Donald Trump has called for an immediate halt to the violence and has offered to mediate between India and Pakistan to help end the bloodshed.
