India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—A total of 194 journalists, including seven women journalists, were targeted across India by state agencies, non-state political actors and criminals, and the armed opposition groups (AOG) in 2022.
This has been stated in a reported prepared by New Delhi-based Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) headed by activist Subhash Chakma.
The report substantiates the allegations of the Reporters Without Boarders (RSF) that had placed India at 150th rank out of 180 countries in its 20th annual Press Freedom Index report for 2022. RSF ranks the countries in press freedom depending on the freedom available to journalists in respective countries.
RRAG report shared with media today noted that journalists in Jammu and Kashmir were among the most targeted by state and no-state actors.
Giving the figures, the report that as many as 48 journalists were targeted in J&K, followed by 40 in Telangana, 14 in Odisha, 13 in Uttar Pradesh, 11 in West Bengal, six each in Madhya and Manipur, five each in Assam and Maharashtra, four each in Bihar, Karnataka and Punjab, three each in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Meghalaya, two each in Arunachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tripura and Uttarakhand.
While 103 journalists were targeted by State actors, 91 journalists were targeted by the non-State actors including political activists.
Out of 103 journalists, 70 journalists were either arrested ordetained; FIRs were booked against 14 others, four journalists were summoned and questioned by police and Enforcement Directorate; and 15 journalists were allegedly physically attacked, threatened and harassed by public officials/police including stopping them from flying abroad by immigration officials.
“Telangana reported the highest arrest/detention with 40; followed by Uttar Pradesh (6); Jammu and Kashmir (4); Madhya Pradesh (3), Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Manipur and Odisha (2 each); and Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal (1 each),” the report said.
“FIRs were registered against 14 journalists under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including Sections 124-A (sedition) punishment for defamation (Section 500), 295A (acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups); Section 66-C, Section 67 and Section 69 of the Information Technology Act; and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,” RRAG director Suhas Chakma said.
At least four journalists were summoned for questioning – three by police, namely, Gowhar Geelani and Yash Raj Sharma of Jammu and Kashmir and Wangkhemcha Shamjai of Manipur and Sucheta Dalal of Maharashtra by the Enforcement Directorate in New Delhi.
As many as 15 journalists were allegedly physically attacked, molested, threatened and harassed by public officials, including police, across the country. Odisha reported the highest number of cases with four journalists being beaten by police.
At least three journalists i.e. Aakash Hussain, Sana Irshad Mattoo and Rana Ayyub were stopped by the Immigration officials from flying abroad.
Seven journalists were killed by non-state political actors and criminals. One journalist Subhash Kumar Mahto was killed for his reporting while the rest were killed for personal enmities and in road rage etc.
About 41 journalists were targeted by the armed opposition groups in Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and the Naxal affected areas. One journalist identified as Rohit Biswal, a reporter of a daily Dharitri, who was killed in an IED blast triggered by alleged Maoists while performing his official work on 5 February.
“The situation of press freedom has not improved during the year and the journalists remained vulnerable to severe attacks from the State and non-State actors, both online and off-line.” Mr Chakma further stated.
