Srinagar, October 21 (KMS): In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Hurriyat leaders and organizations have condemned the harassment and intimidation of newspapers and journalists by the authorities for highlighting the Indian atrocities in the territory.
Awami Action Committee, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in a statement issued in Srinagar lauded the editor of Kashmir Times, Ms Anuradha Bhasin, and her team and editor of Kashmir News Service (KNS), Muhammad Aslam Butt, and his team for their independent reportage of human rights violations by Indian troops in IIOJK.
The statement said that sealing offices / residences of Kashmir Times and Kashmir News Service by the Delhi-run Estates Department without notice, was very unfortunate and reeks of revenge. Besides members of media fraternity are repeatedly coerced and intimidated with charges under draconian laws, it deplored. The AAC expressed solidarity with the editors of these news organizations and their teams. People of Kashmir acknowledge and value the courage and steadfastness of such media houses in the face of severe harassment, it added.
A spokesman of Tehreek-e-Wahdat-e-Islami, a constituent of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, in a statement in Srinagar said that Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government was violating democratic values, international laws and norms in IIOJK to stifle the voices of truth and justice. He said that the offices of media houses which were trying to expose the Indian atrocities in the occupied territory were sealed. He said that the Modi regime was trying to silence every voice in IIOJK exposing its atrocities and fascist agenda.
The spokesperson said that the Modi government wanted to create an atmosphere of immense fear and terror in IIOJK through such heinous acts of oppression so that no one could raise his/her voice against its illegal occupation. He said that it was time for the international community to take effective notice of the BJP’s fascist tactics and stop it from carrying out inhumane acts in Kashmir.
The Chairman of Islamic Tenzeem-e-Azadi Jammu and Kashmir, Abdul Samad Inqilabi, in a statement in Srinagar strongly condemned the sealing the office of Kashmir Times. He said this is a serious violation of human rights and the UN Human Rights Council should take cognizance of the matter.
Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Association, Aaqib Wani, in a statement in Jammu said that Modi-led fascist government wanted to set an RSS backed Hindutva press in IIOJK which would not show the world the atrocities being committed against civilians in the territory. He said tall claims of Indian government regarding freedom of speech and democracy stand expose when offices of newspapers in IIOJK are sealed and even banned for writing truth.