Srinagar
Kashmir Working Journalists Association (KWJA) strongly condemns the repeated assault on journalists across Valley and ask the governor administration to come clean on its diktat to blacklist some of the reputed journalists from covering the official event on January 26.
KWJA believes that these are not isolated incidents of harassment against journalists but there is a pattern in it. In past week journalists were barred from covering professional duty in Baramulla and they were targeted with pellets in Shopian.
“This situation has become alarming and life-threatening for journalists. Today’s incident of blacklisting some of the internationally reputed journalists indicates that the institutions of the state are out to attack freedom of speech and expression in Kashmir with impunity. If these are isolated incidents as claimed by some officials, then the government should identify the individuals involved in targeting journalists and take legal action against them. They must be exposed,” said KWJA in a statement.
“The institutions like Press Council of India, International Federation of Journalists, Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, International Press Institute, International Center for Journalists, European Federation of Journalists, American Press Institute, Center for Media and Democracy and UNESCO should take cognizance of the grave situation for journalists working in Jammu and Kashmir,” KWJA in a statement said.
