Islamabad
In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, media is under a serious threat from Indian occupational forces was the finding of a report released by the Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) in the first quarter of the year 2020.
An analytical report released by Kashmir Media Service, today, said the media in IIOJK is facing state repression as it is being repeatedly targeted and vilified by Modi led fascist Indian regime. New Delhi is using different intimidating tactics to harass Kashmiri journalists and media house owners. Besides being booked under draconian laws for speaking truth, Indian probe agencies like National Investigation Agency and Enforcement Directorate frequently raid residences of IIOJK journalists and media outlets.
The report cited the statement of Ravi R Prasad, director of advocacy at IPI in which he said, “Journalism in Jammu and Kashmir is under a dramatic state of repression” and said that NIA is BJP’s pet agency, which is being used to terrorize the Kashmiri journalists.
The report supported the findings of the IPI director that India “is using a mix of harassment, intimidation, surveillance and online information control to silence critical voices and force journalists to resort to self-censorship” by referring to the NIA raid on English daily Greater Kashmir’s office in Srinagar and the sealing of the office of daily Kashmir Times.
The action was even condemned by Delhi-based Editors Guild and Press Clubs of India.
The report maintained that such pressure tactics by Indian agencies have failed to silence the voices of Kashmiri journalists and it sought intervention by the world major powers including the US and Europe for lifting of restrictions on journalists in IIOJK.
It said that India was making efforts in vain to hide its crimes by stifling media in the occupied territory.—KMS
