Journalism facing state repression in IOK: Report

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: In occupied Kashmir, as the world is observing World Press Day on Sunday, Modi-government in India continues to use strong-arm-tactics to strangulate media in the territory.

According to a report released by Research Section of Kashmir Media Service on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day on Sunday, occupied Kashmir is one of the most dangerous places of the world where people associated with the press and media are performing their professional duties in the most difficult circumstances and situation.

The report pointed out that the Indian government wants to hide ground realities in Kashmir by blackmailing journalists as the media in Kashmir is the most oppressed in the world.

“Media is under a constant threat in the territory where Journalists are booked by the occupation authorities under draconian laws for reporting the truth,” the report added.

India is using arrest, harassment, intimidation and surveillance to stop journalists from showing its atrocities in occupied Kashmir to the world.

They are also facing murder attempts, threats and victimization on daily basis, it maintained.

The 30-year-old Kashmiri journalist Aasif Sultan is facing illegal detention since 2018 and another journalist Qazi Shibli was arrested July last year and was booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) on 8 August 2019 and was released on 23 Apr 2020.

This year Indian police beat up and harassed Kashmiri journalist including Waseem Andrabi, Sanam Aijaz, Naseer Ahmad Ganie,Haroon Nabi, Kamran Yousuf,Qisar Mir,Qayoom Khan , Kamran Raashid Bhat, Wasim Khalid and Mushtaq Ganaie while three Kashmiri journalists including Gowhar Geelani, Peerzada Ashiq and Massarat Zahra were booked in the last month under strict laws for their writings and social media the procession and update posts

Three Kashmiri journalists including Gowhar Geelani, Peerzada Ashiq and Massarat Zahra  were booked under strict laws for their writings and social media posts in the last month alone.

“Kashmiri journalists are called to police stations and are questioned and harassed for hours,” the report said.

“Although India has snatched every right including right to freedom of press in the occupied territory, Kashmiri journalists are determined to fight India’s assault on media freedom. 

Local journalist bodies have called upon the international community to come to the rescue of Kashmiri journalists.” Victimization of journalists in Kashmir has increased manifold since Aug 5, last year.

More than one and half dozen journalists have been killed while performing their duties during the Kashmiris’ ongoing liberation struggle since 1989.