Journalists in India arrested, threatened, suspended from Twitter in separate incidents
In March 2023, India saw a number of attacks on press freedom, including the arrest of Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj; the suspension in India of Twitter handles belonging to an outlet and at least three journalists; and death threats to journalist and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair. On March 20, the National Investigation Agency, India’s counterterrorism body,…
Indian journalist Jaspal Singh arrested in Haryana
On March 18, 2023, police in the Indian state of Haryana arrested Jaspal Singh, a TV journalist who reports part-time for the local broadcaster News18 Haryana, from his home in the city of Ratia, according to news reports and Rajesh Kundu, editor of the news website The Ink, who is familiar with the case and…
Indian journalist Sanjay Rana arrested in Uttar Pradesh
New York, March 17, 2023 – Authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh should drop any investigation launched in retaliation for journalist Sanjay Rana’s work and allow him to report freely and safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. At around 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 12, police in Uttar Pradesh arrested Rana,…
Indian journalist Devendra Khare shot in Uttar Pradesh
New Delhi, March 2, 2023—Authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh must thoroughly investigate the shooting of journalist Devendra Khare and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. At about 7:30 p.m. on February 26, two masked men shot at Khare, a reporter for the privately owned Hindi-language broadcaster…
CPJ and TrustLaw: Know your rights guide for journalists in India
The Committee to Protect Journalists has been responding to the needs of journalists in India as they confront a range of challenges, from criminal action to online abuse, and learn to navigate an increasingly hostile environment for the press. Developed in collaboration with TrustLaw—the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s global pro bono service—this guide covers the legal…
Indian tax authority raids BBC after critical documentary
New Delhi, February 14, 2023 – The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Indian authorities to stop harassing journalists on Tuesday after tax officials raided offices of the British broadcaster BBC in New Delhi and Mumbai. “Raiding the BBC’s India offices in the wake of a documentary criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi smacks of…
Indian journalist Shashikant Warishe killed after coverage of land dispute
New Delhi, February 8, 2023 – Authorities in the Indian state of Maharashtra must thoroughly investigate the killing of journalist Shashikant Warishe and ensure those responsible are brought to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. At about 1 p.m. on Monday, February 6, Pandharinath Amberkar, a land-dealer who was recently the subject of…
CPJ: India’s blocking of BBC documentary on PM Modi contradicts commitment to democracy
New Delhi, January 23, 2023 – In response to Indian authorities’ restricting access to the BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question” on YouTube and Twitter, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement calling for access to the documentary to be restored: “The Indian government’s order to social media platforms to block a BBC…
Forensic tools open new front for using phone data to prosecute journalists
On April 13, police in Russia’s Khakassiya republic arrested Mikhail Afanasyev and seized his digital devices. Afanasyev, chief editor of the online magazine Novy Fokus, was detained based on an article about riot police in southern Siberia refusing to serve in Ukraine. He faces a possible 10-year prison sentence for spreading “false” information. It’s not surprising for…
Police in India-administered Jammu and Kashmir raid homes of seven journalists
On November 19, 2022, police in India-administered Jammu and Kashmir conducted raids in 12 locations including the homes of at least seven journalists — Mohammad Rafi, Gowhar Geelani, Khalid Gul, Rashid Maqbool, Sajjad Kralyari, Qazi Shibli, and Waseem Khalid — according to Indian newspaper The Telegraph and a police statement reviewed by CPJ. The journalists are all…