Kashmir Working Journalists Association (KWJA) on Friday noted with dismay that despite pleas for an enabling environment for media, J&K Police have not withdrawn the latest cases against three journalists in Kashmir.
“We strongly condemn and protest the continued harassment ofjournalists in Kashmir at the hands of police and reiterate our demand thatcases against journalists Gowhar Geelani, Masrat Zehra and Peerzada Ashiqshould be withdrawn immediately,” said KWJA, in a statement.
It said KWJA was also surprised at “claims of respect forpress freedom from some officials when a systemic repression of media housesand arm twisting of journalists has by now been entrenched as a governancepolicy to curtail larger freedoms and rights of people.”
The statement said it was ironical that such claims weremade in the same statement that “disdainfully referred to a well worked on newsreport as “fake news” and bragged about making some journalists apologizeinside a police station.”
The statement said the pattern of summoning journalists topolice stations, seeking explanations about their professional work andintimidating them with the FIRs was going on since August last year.
“For a vibrant press to flourish in a society authoritieshave to move beyond hollow claims of respect for press freedom and work towardsa conducive environment where a journalist can report the facts on groundand/or express his opinion on social media without fear of a police summon,”said the statement.