Kashmir Working Journalists Association (KWJA) and Kashmir Press Club (KPC) on Thursday condemned the “continued harassment” of journalists in Kashmir.
In a statement, KWJA said in the latest instance, Srinagar-based journalist and editor of weekly Kashmirwalla, Fahad Shah, was summoned by city police to explain the reportage of the recent gunfight in the city in which 15 houses were damaged, and residents accused police of “stealing valuables from several houses.”
“Shah was made to wait at the police station and asked to answer bizarre questions,” the statement said. “It is a police tactic to coerce journalists into not reporting facts on the ground.”
The statement said the pattern of summoning journalists to police stations, seeking explanations about their professional work and intimidating them with FIRs was going on since August last year.
“KWJA strongly condemns the pattern of intimidation and views it as continued attacks on freedom of press in Kashmir,” said the statement.
The Association demanded that the practice of summoning journalists to police stations should end and cases against journalists be withdrawn.
In a separate statement, KPC expressed concern over the summoning of the journalists.
KPC said Shah brought to the notice of the Club that he was summoned by J&K police’s Cyber Cell on Wednesday.
“As per his statement he was let go after over four hours and during his stay at the police station was questioned about the reportage in his newspaper of an encounter in Srinagar,” said the KPC.
It said in earlier instances some other journalists working in the Valley have been similarly summoned by the police for their stories.
The KPC condemned all such incidents and noted that such summons and FIRs were aimed at harassing and intimidating the journalists in violation of the press freedom.
The KPC urged the highest authorities in the administration and police to take a look at these issues, so that journalists reporting from the Valley were provided a conducive atmosphere to work.