Kashmir Press Club decries attacks, threats to journalists by J&K cops

While blaming the government for enabling the security agencies to operate freely, Kashmir Press Club (KPC) on Monday alleged that physical attacks, threats and summons to scribes are being employed to intimidate them.

A meeting of the KPC which was called after the summoning of two journalists by the police on Saturday, discussed ‘physical attacks, threats, intimidation’ being meted out to the journalists in Kashmir by J&K police, a spokesperson of the Club said in a statement.

“The meeting in which representatives of all journalists associations participated noted with concern that from the first day since Article 370 was abrogated on August 5, the government is not enabling journalists and media to operate freely from the Valley.

This is evident from the prolonged six-month internet shutdown in the region since August 5. As if that was not enough, physical attacks, threats and summons to journalists are being employed by security agencies to intimidate journalists,” he alleged.

“In fact, the summons and harassment to journalists to police’s counter-insurgency centre (Cargo) in Srinagar has become a routine exercise. The harassment and questioning of journalists in Kashmir on flimsy grounds by the J&K Police for their work is in fact a damning verdict on the appalling condition in which media is operating,” the spokesperson said.

He said the restrictions on internet and ‘forcibly’ seeking undertakings from news organizations for allowing limited internet access, constant surveillance by police and “physical attacks and summons all are the tools designed and aimed to ensure only government-promoted version is heard outside.”

“However, the meeting today made it clear that journalists are within their rights to report about the happenings from Kashmir impartially and truthfully. The KPC joined by all journalist bodies in Kashmir asked the government to stop practice of summons and attacks on journalists,” he added.