A first information report (FIR) was registered against journalist Nidhi Suresh in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur area, following the publication of her report that detailed the harassment a woman civilian faced after her conversion from Hinduism to Islam. According to Suresh’s report, a woman who now recognizes herself as Ayesha Alvi received threatening calls after her religious conversion. The number was registered in the name of a news reporter Deep Srivatsava. In response, Srivastava filed a defamation case against the journalist, denying the allegations.

Journalist Greeshma Kuthar was removed from her journalistic role at the Firstpost by the management at her employer firm. No reason was given regarding the sudden decision. Greeshma has spent three years at the company helping it in community engagement and broader coverage of national issues. Greeshma tried to get in touch with the management regarding the abrupt decision but did not receive a response regarding the matter.

Journalist M Radhakrishnan, who is also the Secretary of Thiruvananthapuram Press Club, was dismissed by his employer news outlet “The Kerala Kaumudi” after reports of him harassing a woman journalist and colleague came to light. The survivor who wishes to stay anonymous claimed that Radhakrishnan barged into her home and harassed, abused and assaulted the occupants in November 2019.

Former journalist at a leading Malayalam news network, Vineetha Venu, came forward about threats and harassment to her and her family in a Facebook post on Saturday, May 29. She alleged that she and her family were subjected to moral policing by cyberbullies of The Communist Party of India (CPI-M).

Rape accused journalist Tarun Tejpal was acquitted of rape and assault charges by the Indian court on May 21. Tarun was charged with rape and assault crime against a staff reporter during a conference in Goa in 2013. The trial was initiated in 2017 and Tarun Tejpal was booked with charges of sexual harassment, rape, and wrongful restraint.

After more than a year into the pandemic, India has been hit by the most lethal wave with presumably a new variant. Hospitals have fallen short of oxygen supplies and beds for COVID-19 patients. The cremation sites are full and scenes of dead bodies arriving one after the other are beyond horrific to explain.

A threatening and hateful video was posted on a YouTube channel on February 11, asking for the hanging of some notable journalists in India. The video was viewed by almost half a million people before it was taken down for violating YouTube’s policy on hate speech. The video accused journalists critical of government policies of having vested interests and financial incentives. The claims in the video were unsubstantiated, yet it was endorsed by many right-wing politicians. CFWIJ condemns the pervasive threats to press freedom in India and asks the regulatory authorities to curb such attacks and hold the perpetrators accountable.

KP Pravitha, a correspondent for Mathrubhumi, a Malayalam daily newspaper, was subjected to inappropriate texts from IAS officer Prashant Nair. KP reached out to Prashant through WhatsApp for information regarding a story on Monday, February 22. Prashant Nair replied to the journalist with obscene images and insults. CFWIJ condemns the officer’s misconduct and stands in solidarity with KP Pravitha. We urge the Kerala government authorities to investigate the matter and hold Mr. Prashant Nair accountable for his unprofessional behavior.

The Unnao police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against The MOJO story news portal run by senior Indian journalist Barkha Dutt. The FIR names seven other Twitter handles for deliberately spreading misinformation over the case. Barkha has termed the police action against her as “brazen harassment and bullying”, and she is ready to fight the charges in court. CFWIJ offers its full support and solidarity to the journalist. We urge the Unnao police department to drop the baseless claims against Barkha.

Independent journalist Grace Jajo was barred from entering the Manipur legislative assembly without prior notice. The reason behind the decision was the critic that Grace posted on her social media. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the appalling crackdown against Grace. Journalists must freely be allowed to follow the news related to the state.

Journalist Priya Ramani is acquitted in the defamation case, which was filed by Former Union Minister MJ Akbar, over her allegations of sexual misconduct against the minister. The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes Priya’s acquittal. We stand with women journalists who are not afraid or ashamed to speak up about the sexual harassment they face in the media industry.

Journalist Mrinal Pande was charged with sedition for reporting or sharing allegedly unverified news about ongoing farmers’ protests in New Delhi. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the police report and the unfair charges against journalists over their coverage of the demonstrations. We demand an immediate dismissal for the accusations that Mrinal faces.

The Indian police added reporter Ismat Araa's name to the FIR registered against The Wire's editor for tweeting an article that implicated the police for the death of a farmer during the Indian Republic Day demonstration. The article cited the claims of the family of Navreet Singh, the sole casualty of the clash between the state and the protestors.

Pushpa Rokde, a journalist based in Chhattisgarh targeted with death threats, reportedly from a local committee. The threats written on a piece of paper were pinned on a tree near her village. CFWIJ is deeply concerned about the safety of journalist. We demand authorities in Chhattisgarh to investigate the criminals behind this despicable act.

Indian journalist Rana Ayyub was targeted for criticizing the government over the ongoing farmers’ protest in the country. The Coalition for Women In Journalism condemns the organized troll campaign that was launched against the journalist.