YouTube censors news report on Sikh separatist assassination in Canada

YouTube was instructed by the Indian government to remove a recent episode of the investigative TV show “The Fifth Estate,” which focused on the shooting of a Canadian Sikh separatist.

The program featured footage of the fatal shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. The Indian government cited its Information and Technology Act 2000 as the basis for this directive to YouTube.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology also mandated social media platform X to delete any content related to “The Fifth Estate” story. YouTube informed the broadcaster CBC that it was compelled to restrict access to the content in India but noted that it remained accessible elsewhere.

Expressing disagreement with the decision, YouTube emphasized the importance of freedom of expression and stated that they were engaging with Indian authorities in accordance with legal procedures. 

The video captured Nijjar leaving a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. As he attempted to exit the parking lot in his truck, his vehicle was blocked by a white car, and two individuals approached Nijjar’s truck, shooting him before fleeing in a Toyota Camry.

The CBC aired the story along with the video last week, sparking widespread outrage. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hinted at potential connections between the Government of India and Nijjar’s killing, a claim vehemently denied by India. Despite the controversy, no arrests have been made in relation to the murder.