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Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi has initiated legal action against three people alleging they have circulated, profited from and amplified false claims that he has engaged in criminality and corruption.
Sohi claims two people have created frequent content targeting him and have allegedly made derogatory and libelous claims against him with the intent to harm his personal and political reputation. The allegations have been amplified by a third person, says the mayor.
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The individuals also allegedly dispersed information about the location of Sohi’s home, which has been vandalized as a result of the disinformation circulating, claims the mayor.
A late Friday news release from Nanda and Company, the law office representing Sohi, said one of the people involved is a content creator who specializes in conspiracy theories and disinformation. He has apparently created and frequently circulated disinformation and defamatory comments about race, culture and religious groups.
“In frequent pieces of content targeting Amarjeet Sohi, (this person) and his collaborator … make derogatory, inflammatory and libelous allegations of serious criminality and corruption against Amarjeet Sohi,” the news release said.
“These statements are untrue and made with intent to harm Amarjeet Sohi’s personal and political reputation. (This person) continues to produce this false content as it leads to viewership on social media platforms and advertising revenue.”
As a result of the allegations, Sohi has been subjected to death threats and other attacks that are connected to the allegations made against him by the three people, said the law firm.
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Sohi said he has served Edmonton and Canada with the “utmost integrity an honesty.” He said the false allegations aim to damage his personal and political reputation in Edmonton, especially among the South Asian community.
“If we allow this toxicity to spread unimpeded and unchallenged, it will create a political environment where Edmontonians, especially from diverse and under-represented backgrounds, are not comfortable fully participating in their democracy,” Sohi said.
Any proceeds from the legal action awarded to Sohi will be donated to organizations to fight disinformation in the political sphere and aide under-represented communities to participate in the democratic process.
X: @kccindytran
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