Srinagar: In Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, numerous journalists have been increasingly targeted by the Modi government, facing arrests and charges under stringent laws, as they contradict the official narrative, reports Nikkei Asia.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Nikkei Asia highlighted that the repression of the media has escalated following the revocation of IIOJK’s special autonomy in 2019. Fahad Shah, editor-in-chief of Kashmir Walla, exemplifies the crackdown, having been imprisoned for nearly two years on allegations of disseminating fake news. His case is among roughly thirty such instances where journalists have been subjected to police raids, threats, assaults, and legal charges, aiming to stifle dissent and control the flow of information.
Shah, speaking to Nikkei Asia in Srinagar, detailed the personal toll of his imprisonment, noting the significant impact on his mental and physical health due to harsh prison conditions. His re-arrest in 2022 stemmed from an op-ed published over a decade ago, marking a troubling use of retrospective scrutiny by authorities to suppress critical voices.
The situation is echoed by Geeta Seshu of the Free Speech Collective, who described these actions as a warning meant to silence other journalists from questioning government policies. This sentiment is reinforced by the widespread application of anti-terrorism laws and the Public Safety Act as tools against journalists, like Asif Sultan of Kashmir Narrator, who was only released on bail after over five years.
Kunal Majumder from the Committee to Protect Journalists underscored the misuse of these laws to intimidate journalists and suppress free speech, a tactic that has significantly chilled press freedoms in the region.
This repression not only affects individuals but also has dire consequences for the viability of independent media in Kashmir. Many media outlets face financial ruin, with journalists leaving the profession under duress, resulting in a media landscape that risks becoming either completely government-aligned or financially unsustainable.
India’s position at 159 out of 180 in the Reporters Without Borders’ 2024 World Press Freedom Index reflects these challenges, with press freedoms under severe threat across the nation.