CPJ urges Indian occupation authorities to stop harassing Kashmiri journalists

NEW YORK, Apr 21 (APP):The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based watchdog body, has called on authorities in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to stop harassing journalists Masrat Zahra, a freelance photojournalist and Peerzada Ashiq, a correspondent with daily newspaper The Hindu, and let them report freely.

Both journalists are under police investigation for their work as professionals that the Indian authorities find objectionable.

“Masrat Zahra and Peerzada Ashiq should be free to report on events in Jammu and Kashmir without facing harassment and intimidation from local authorities,” Aliya Iftikhar, CPJ’s senior Asia researcher, in New York, said in a statement on Monday.

“Police should drop their investigations into both journalists and India should reform its laws to make such capricious actions by police impossible,” she added.

CPJ said it messaged Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh for comment, but did not receive any reply.