UK (Kaab TV) – The U.S. government has denied entry visas to five digital rights activists, including two British nationals. The U.S. authorities accused these individuals of pressuring American social media companies to restrict viewpoints they opposed.
The two UK nationals are Imran Ahmed, a former advisor to the UK Labour Party and now head of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), and Clare Melford, founder and CEO of the Global Disinformation Index (GDI).
The other individuals denied visas include a French national who previously served in the European Parliament and a German official.
This decision comes after the administration of former President Donald Trump claimed that these individuals and their organizations were part of what he called the “global censorship movement.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move was a response to efforts to limit free speech, particularly those targeting American tech companies.
The U.S. government also accused CCDH of previously collaborating with the administration of former President Joe Biden, which it sees as evidence of political connections.
Meanwhile, Clare Melford stated that GDI is a non-profit organization focused on monitoring and combating online misinformation. A spokesperson for GDI described the U.S. action as a “tyrannical attack on free speech.”
French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the decision, calling it an “intimidation measure.”