India: Young Journalist Rizwana Tabassum Ends Life Due To Political Pressure
Location: India, Varanasi
Date: May 11, 2020
Twenty-eight years old journalist Rizwana Tabassum killed herself by hanging on the morning of May 4. Samajwadi Party leader Shamim Nomani has been arrested after Rizwana’s suicide note which blades him recovered from her room.
"Shamim Nomani is responsible," she wrote on her suicide note. The Varanasi police arrested him for an interrogation on Monday. He is charged with “abetment” based on the journalist’s phone call records. Authorities believe that these records hold the key to the young journalist’s death.
According to JanSandesh Times, Nomani called her 117 times on the night before her death. On the morning of May 4, when she did not come out of her room her family called the police fearing the worst. Her body was found when the door was broken down by the police.
Her father said, "She never told me about anything, nor did she have any enmity with anyone. She was a good daughter as well as a good journalist."
Rizwana was a young independent journalist who covered important developments around the city, including rural areas. She reported for various media outlets such as Khabar Lahariya, The Wire Hindi, The Wire, The Print and Janjwar.
After her death, journalists, and former colleagues, along with institutions mourned her death.
You will be missed. RIP @RizwanaTabassum pic.twitter.com/PvLr5kBPJ0
— Khabar Lahariya (@KhabarLahariya) May 4, 2020
KL's Official Statement In Memory of Rizwana Tabassum https://t.co/iiRLIFfGcR
— Khabar Lahariya (@KhabarLahariya) May 8, 2020
Tragic loss, Rizwana Tabassum was a feisty reporter from Benaras, who wrote for @thewire_in, @thewirehindi and lots of other news sites. Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. https://t.co/uGYkqTV4zX via @thewirehindi
— Siddharth (@svaradarajan) May 4, 2020
That a young woman’s life came to such a sudden halt is unacceptable, and indicative of the kind of risks women journalists face every single day.
We are deeply saddened by her death and demand that authorities create a safer environment for women journalists. Our hearts go out to her family at this time.
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.
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