Indian police arrest, investigate journalists covering farmers’ protests
New Delhi, February 1, 2021 – Indian authorities must immediately release journalist Mandeep Punia and refrain from detaining and investigating members of the press covering protests, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On the evening of January 30, Delhi police detained Mandeep Punia, a contributor to The Caravan magazine and Junputh news website, and…
Times of India parent company sues media watchdog Newslaundry for $13.7 million
New Delhi, January 29, 2021 – The Indian media conglomerate Bennett, Coleman, and Company Limited (BCCL) is undermining its own integrity with a defamation suit against the news website and media watchdog Newslaundry, and should withdraw the suit immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On January 19, BCCL filed a civil defamation suit…
Indian journalist Neha Dixit receives threatening calls, break-in attempt
New Delhi, January 27, 2021 – Indian authorities should thoroughly investigate threats made to journalist Neha Dixit and ensure her safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 9 p.m. on January 25, an unidentified person attempted to break into Dixit’s home in Delhi, and fled when she went to investigate, she told…
Arrest warrant issued for Indian journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta in defamation case
New Delhi, January 22, 2021 – Authorities in the Indian state of Gujarat should drop their arrest warrant for journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, and the Adani Group conglomerate should stop trying to intimidate journalists with legal harassment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The Adani Group initiated criminal and civil defamation suits in 2017…
Indian authorities in Manipur investigate editors for sedition, conspiracy, terrorism
New Delhi, January 22, 2021 – Authorities in the Indian state of Manipur should drop their investigations into The Frontier Manipur and its editors, Sadokpam Dhiren and Paojel Chaoba, and allow them to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On January 17, police in Imphal, the Manipur state capital, summoned and detained…
Journalists in India face attacks, legal action, and threats
In September and October 2020, lists circulating online allegedly identifying journalists as “anti-Hindu” or as “Indian agents” named dozens of local members of the press, police opened investigations into at least two reporters and one media executive, and authorities attacked at least one journalist during the course of his reporting, according to news reports and…
Indian government gives go ahead for contempt proceedings against cartoonist
New Delhi, December 8, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed alarm over a petition to the Indian Supreme Court calling for it to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against political cartoonist Rachita Taneja for her comics about the judiciary. On December 5, Aditya Kashyap, a law student and member of the student union associated…
Uttar Pradesh journalist dies after alleged arson attack
New Delhi, December 4, 2020 — Police in India’s Uttar Pradesh state must thoroughly investigate the death of journalist Rakesh Singh and ensure that those responsible are swiftly prosecuted, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 28, Singh, a journalist with a local Hindi newspaper Rashtriya Swaroop, died from burn injuries after his house…
Journalist Parag Bhuyan killed in hit-and-run in India’s Assam state
New Delhi, November 18, 2020 — Authorities in India’s northeastern Assam state must fully investigate the death of journalist Parag Bhuyan, determine whether it was related to his work, and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Bhuyan, a journalist with Assamese-language news channel Pratidin Time, died…
Indian Supreme Court to hold bail hearing on case of imprisoned journalist Siddique Kappan
New York, November 17, 2020 – The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Uttar Pradesh authorities to not oppose bail for imprisoned journalist Siddique Kappan and to grant him access to his lawyers immediately. Yesterday, the Indian Supreme Court set a hearing for November 20 for a bail petition for Kappan, according to The Telegraph. Kappan,…