Press Freedom of India

Press Freedom of India

Context

Journalists in Kashmir staged a silent demonstration in Srinagar to protest the communication blockade in Kashmir.

About

• After the scrapping of Special Status and re-organisation of Jammu and Kashmir, it is being reported in certain sections of media that Journalists are facing increased curbs to perform their professional duties.
• Anuradha Bhasin, editor of Kashmir Times, local English daily filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the restrictions on Media in Jammu and Kashmir.
• New Delhi amended Article 370 of the Indian constitution and bifurcated the state into two union territories on August 5.
• The move stripped J&K of its separate flag and constitution. Fearing reprisals, the authorities imposed strict restrictions and a communication blockade across the Valley. Though restrictions were eased last month, the communication blockade is still in force.

Situation In India

• Facing criticism, the government set up a make-shift media communication center at a private hotel in Srinagar for journalists.
• The center has one internet connection and nine terminals where journalists working with international, national and local media houses have to wait in a queue for their turn to send reports and check mails.
• The information department managing the center has allotted 15 minutes for each journalist to access the internet.
• India has dropped two places on a global press freedom index -2019 to be ranked 140th out of 180countries brought about by Reporters Without Borders.
• The World Press Freedom Index 2019 finds an increased sense of hostility towards journalists across the world.
• The violent attacks in India leading to at least six Indian journalists being killed in the line of their work in 2018
• Violence against journalists including police violence, attacks by Maoist fighters and reprisals by criminal groups or corrupt politiciansis one of the most striking characteristics of the current state of press freedom in India.
• Indian journalists, especially those working for non-English-language media outlets in rural areas, face threats to their lives on a daily basis.

Analysis of Reporters Without Border Report

• South Asia in general features poorly on the index.
• Pakistan and Bangladesh rank below India at 142 and 150 respectively.
• The number of countries regarded as safe, where journalists can work in complete security, continues to decline, while authoritarian regimes continue to tighten their grip on the media, RSF concludes.
• Norway is ranked first in the 2019 Index for the third year running while Finland has taken second place.An increase in cyber-harassment caused Sweden (third) to lose one place.