New Delhi, 16 October 2021: The Indian Journalists Union is gravely concerned on the recurring harassment of journalists in Kashmir and concerted efforts by the authorities to clampdown on independent media in the Valley. The detention and questioning of journalists continues unabated with this month alone seeing five journalists and media workers being victims of a government policy to clampdown on information flow. The authorities, demands the Union, must refrain from such bullying tactics and respect freedom of speech and expression.
The cases as per media reports include: on October 13, Sajud Gul, a freelance journalist who contributes to news online websites The Kashmir Walla and Mountain Ink, was called for questioning by authorities in relation to a video posted to his Twitter profile and a news item on a young man’s death in a gunfight on October 11, wherein his family alleged the police being behind it; Majid Hyderi, another freelance journalist, was summoned by the anti-insurgency police unit for his social media posts, including those related to separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Muharram and further questioned on his source of income.
On October 13 and 12, two journalists-- Salman Shah, editor, weekly digital magazine Kashmir First, and Mukhtar Zahoor, a photojournalists and stringer for BBC were respectively detained for questioning in police stations for their whereabouts on September 1, the day Geelani died. Earlier in the week, on October 8 Suhail Dar, of The Kashmiriyat and Maktoob Media, was detained and moved to Anantnag jail on October 14, following charges of disturbing public peace under sections 107 and 151 of the IPC.
In a statement, IJU President and Former Member, Press Council of India Geetartha Pathak and Secretary General and Vice President, International Federation of Journalists, Sabina Inderjit said the fear psychosis in the Valley amongst journalists and media workers is growing and that the authorities must refrain from its sinister actions of harassing and intimidating journalists. At the same time, the IJU demands the immediate release of journalists detained since October 8.
If the pattern of attack on freedom of press in Kashmir is not resisted this may be extended in other parts of the country, said the Union. The IJU appealed to all stakeholders of freedom of press and freedom of expression to raise their voice against the onslaught on the journalists in Kashmir and particularly the Press Council of India which must ensure that the stifling of an independent media is brought to a halt.
