In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, political experts and analysts have deplored that Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government is victimizing journalists for exposing Indian brutalities on Kashmiris. The political experts and analysts in their statements and interviews in Srinagar said the Modi regime is using different intimidating tactics to harass the journalists and force them to toe its line. They said IIOJK is the worst place for journalists to work freely and the media persons are abducted, threatened and tortured just for doing their job.

They said the RSS-backed communal Modi government is using probe agencies like notorious National Investigation Agency (NIA) and State Investigation Agency (SIA) to frequently raid the offices and residences of journalists in the occupied territory. The political experts and analysts said that for the last over a week several media persons were being summoned to the police stations on a daily basis and harassed in the name of questioning. They said that several Kashmiri journalists including Aasif Sultan and Fahd Shah were facing illegal detention under draconian laws. Kashmiri journalists are being booked under draconian laws for speaking the truth and victimization of the media persons in IIOJK increased manifold since August 5, 2019, they added.

The political experts and analysts pointed out that a number of journalists have been killed, scores injured by Indian troops since 1989 in IIOJK. “Modi regime is defaming Kashmiri journalists and media organizations for exposing Indian brutalities in IIOJK. India has snatched every right including right to freedom of press but it cannot hide its crimes by stifling media in Kashmir,” they said. Curbs on freedom of expression in IIOJK needs world’s attention, the political experts and analysts said, adding that assault on Kashmiri journalists must be a wakeup call for international media organizations.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP