‘Pattern of intimidation’: CPJ calls for end to harassment of journalists in IIOJK
New York: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on authorities in the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to immediately end the harassing and intimidating journalists, following the summoning of several Kashmir-based reporters by Indian police over their professional reporting.
According to Kashmir Media Service, CPJ Asia-Pacific Program Coordinator Kunal Majumder, in a statement published on the organization’s website, said that using police powers to summon journalists for their legitimate work reflects a broader pattern of intimidation against the media in the territory.
“Using police powers to summon journalists over their legitimate reporting is part of a pattern of intimidation against the media in Jammu and Kashmir,” Majumder said. “Authorities must cease their harassment and ensure that journalists are not subjected to arbitrary police action for doing their jobs.”
CPJ noted that on January 14, Bashaarat Masood, an assistant editor with The Indian Express, was called to the Cyber Police Station in the city of Srinagar for questioning about a report he wrote on reaction to a police exercise seeking information about Kashmir’s mosques and their management.
The organization said police later took Masood to a district magistrate and asked him to sign a bond stating he would not repeat his “mistake,” without specifying any legal violation. Masood refused to do so and was asked to report back to the police station daily over the next four days.
CPJ further said that on January 19, a Srinagar-based correspondent for the Hindustan Times, Ashiq Hussain, was also summoned by police in connection with his reporting. Hussain did not comply with the summons, citing a lack of clarity from police about the basis for the questioning.
