India: CFWIJ Condemns Forceful Shut Down of Kashmir Press Club
Location: CIndia, Srinagar
Date: February 3, 2022
The Indian state forcefully shut down the Kashmir Press Club much to the outcry of the press community in the region. According to KPC members, people identifying themselves as "journalists" barged into KPC premises and declared themselves “interim” office-bearers. What local journalists are terming “forcible and illegal takeover” of the club is likely to have a disproportionate impact on the women journalists in the region.
A statement issued by the outgoing members of the KPC, calls this a "dangerous precedent". “On January 15, the day when the administration had declared weekend lockdown in view of COVID surge, a group of journalists barged into the club office and forcibly took control of the club by keeping the office members hostage. A large number of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed beforehand for this highly condemnable and completely illegal move,” it says. Adding that, “This move, in which a group of journalists self-appointed itself as an ‘interim body’ is uncivil, illegal, unconstitutional and without any precedence.”
The move has also caused concern among the women journalists in Kashmir. The club had 12 permanent women members and also served as an office space and networking opportunity for freelance women journalists. Mohsina Malik, a journalist associated with Free Press Kashmir, spoke to an Indian publication about the issue.
“The club was like a safe second home for young reporters like me. I would go to KPC occasionally and meet my seniors and fellow young journalists. We would engage in good conversations and encourage and support each other. The place gave me a reason to keep going and focus on my work,” she said.
Raziya Noor, another journalist based in Kashmir said, “As a female journalist I would say that it was the one last space where we were comfortable and safe, and could meet our colleagues. But now this vibrant space has also been snatched from us."
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns this deliberate muffling of the Kashmiri press community by Indian authorities. This is only the latest in a long undemocratic trend adopted by the current regime in India to suppress Kashmiri voices and their grievances against the Indian state. Moves like this always disproportionately impact women journalists who are already a minority group within the industry. The Kashmir Press Club should immediately be restored if India is to stay committed to its democratic principles.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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