Twitter restores Kashmiri journalist Aarti Tikoo's account after Delhi HC's notice

In a big win for Kashmiri journalist Aarti Tikoo, Twitter India on Thursday restored her account, two days after the Delhi HC issued a notice to the social media platform. According to the journalist, Twitter has restored her access and also the tweet in contention, which had been labelled as 'hateful conduct' by the micro-blogging site.  

Issuing her statement on the win, Tikoo asserted that Twitter had realised how the legal battle could cost it dearly, not only in India but across the world. She also remarked that while she had won this battle, Twitter's abuse of power may not end here. "Twitter has abused its power by blocking, suspending, and labelling far too many Indians and far too many times this issue can be given up just because they have restored my account," she wrote. 

"I will launch a new battle for the sake of other fellow citizens and I will fight it out," she added. 

Why did Twitter block Aarti Tikoo's account?

On January 6, Aarti Tikoo approached the Delhi High Court against the blocking of her Twitter account over a post where she called out 'extremists' for sending 'death threats' to her brother. Twitter had restrained Tikoo's account on December 15 over a tweet where she sought protection from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for her brother who lives in Srinagar. Claiming that Sahil Tikoo was being openly threatened by 'jihadi' terrorists via Twitter Spaces, the journalist had demanded protection and safety for her brother. 

“My brother Sahil Tikoo who lives in Srinagar is being openly threatened by jihadis terrorists sitting in Kashmir-India, their handles in Pakistan, the UK, and the US. Is anyone watching? Are we sitting ducks waiting to be shot dead by Islamists or will you crack down on them? HMO India," the journalist had tweeted. 

However, the tweet was deleted by the microblogging site for 'violation of rules' against 'hateful conduct.' Moreover, Tikoo's account was temporarily blocked from making further posts. Thereafter, the journalist approached the Delhi HC, seeking its direction to the Government of India to intervene in the matter and restore her social media account. 

"I have moved to the Delhi High Court with a writ petition, asking the GoI to protect my fundamental right to speech and life. The government is answerable to me. It is not just about Aarti Tikoo versus Twitter, it is about every Indian citizen whose freedom of speech is curtailed by Twitter on one pretext or another. Sometimes it is whimsical, sometimes it is the algorithm and other times it is Twitter's own biases and prejudices against victims of Islamist terror," said Tikoo.