Location: India
Date: January 19, 2021

A press conference was held at the Guwahati Press Club by film producer Umashankar Jha and actor Uttam Singh. Reportedly, when the journalist inquired a few questions about the film, she was verbally abused in front of everyone. Later on, when she and another photojournalist went to the duo to ask about their misbehaviour, they assaulted her. The journalist has filed a police complaint about the incident. CFWIJ is utterly dismayed by the mistreatment shown to the woman journalist. We offer her our full support and solidarity.

The woman journalist is a reporter in a city-based Assamese newspaper. The press conference was held on Saturday at the Guwahati Press Club by the filmmakers. According to the incident reported, a woman journalist asked questions about the film and was met with verbal abuse from the duo. Later, once the press meet had ended, she reached out to them to confront them about their behavior. At this point, the producer and the actor reportedly pushed her and pulled her hand.

Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) has condemned the incident and asked police authorities to conduct a full investigation against the actor and producer. The statement issued by JFA states that “it is shocking that an attending reporter can be subjected to ill-treatment in a formal press meet organized by press club members. All sensitive and responsible members of the pes club must stand united against the offense.”

Police have started their investigation and interrogation of the accused. Guwahati Press Club president Manoj Nath, and general secretary Sanjoy Ray, also condemned the incident.  They have urged the police to take action, offering their full cooperation in the investigation process.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is gravely concerned over the mistreatment of the woman journalist. We urge Assam authorities to conduct a full-fledged inquiry into this incident and set a precedent for future attacks on women journalists. We offer our full support and solidarity to the journalist and hope she will get the justice she deserves.

The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.