Citizens for Justice and Peace
“Grim and despairing, death-knell for the media” NWMI-FSC report exposes absence of press freedom in Kashmir
05-Sep-2019
It has been a month since Kashmir went dark in wake of a virtual communication and media blockade, and now a report has emerged that exposes what is going on in that darkness. Prepared by the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI) and the Free Speech Collective (FSC), the report titled News Behind the Barbed Wire:…
Foreign Journalists ask to “leave” Assam, post NRC State declared “protected area”
04-Sep-2019
Assam has suddenly been placed under the “protected area category” by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) following several questions being raised over the politicisation of the entire process of publication of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) reports the Assam Tribune. As a consequence, all foreign journalists working…
Journalists threatened and harassed after numbers leaked online Bid to curtail Press Freedom?
20-Feb-2019
Several Indian journalists, known for their liberal and secular views, became victims of doxxing when their numbers were leaked and circulated, allegedly by right-wing social media trolls. Barkha Dutt, Abhisar Sharma, Rajdeep Sardesai and many others, have since then received threats of violence and abusive messages on their phones. Is this a conspiracy against media…
Gauri Lankesh Murder: Sister Kavita demands case stay with Karnataka SIT Files Intervention Application to prevent investigation to be transferred to another agency
25-Jan-2019
Ms Kavitha Lankesh, sister of slain journalist activist Gauri Lankesh has intervened in the Supreme Court urging that the investigation into her sister’s murder should remain with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed in 2017. The investigations in the case are at an advanced stage and arguments on framing of charge were to be made…
Free Speech in India 2018 The State Rolls On
04-Jan-2019
A Report by the FreeSpeechCollective Overview: The State flexes its muscles, other assaults continue unabated Free speech in India came under attack on all fronts in 2018. Alarmingly, even as assaults continued unabated, the State was all set to take on the mantle of the chief censor with repressive regulatory and surveillance mechanisms being put in place…
India cuts a Sorry Figure on World Press Freedom Day Attacks on media persons continue with impunity across the country
03-May-2018
May 3 is the 25th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, which was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1993 on the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference. It is therefore a somber day for Indian journalists given how the Press Freedom is being curtailed in the country, by both, state and non state actors.…
Bastar Journalist Kamal Shukla booked on Sedition charges Had shared cartoon about Judge Loya case on Social Media
01-May-2018
On April 29, Chhattisgarh Police have booked senior journalist and activist Kamal Shukla on sedition charges under Section 124 (A) of the Indian Penal Code. The matter pertains to a cartoon about the Judge Loya case, criticizing the government and judiciary that Shukla shared from his Facebook wall few days ago. However, his lawyer Isha Khandelwal from Jagdalpur…
3 Journalists killed in chillingly similar incidents in Saffron-ruled states Freedom of Expression and Press at stake
28-Mar-2018
Two journalists, Navin Nishchal and Vijay Singh, who worked for the Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar, were killed when an SUV ran into their bike in Bihar’s Bhojpur district, on Monday, March 26. Locals and family members have alleged that the journalists were “murdered“, and that a former village head was responsible. The SUV involved in the incident was…
Reporter first responder in the news chain, knows ground reality and story best: Uma Sudhir Why reporters need to be given freedom to pursue and report on real stories instead of mechanically collecting sound bites
14-Mar-2018
Senior journalist Uma Sudhir, who received the 2017 Chameli Devi Jain award for journalism gave this impromptu acceptance speech dedicating her award to the reporter on the ground. I am very honoured to be chosen for the Chameli Devi Jain award for 2017. I have several people to thank. First the Media Foundation, the jury Lalitha Panicker, Ritu…
Media under Modi Challenges before free press in the world’s so called largest democracy
06-Mar-2018
I am here to make a case that India, which is known as the world’s so-called largest democracy is currently going through an era of self-imposed media censorship under a right wing Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government. This has not only made the working environment of journalists in India extremely challenging, but the problem…