13 journalists were killed, while 12 women scribes were among the 228 attacked in 2020
New Delhi: A city based “independent think tank” has come out with what it claims to be the first ever annual report prepared on the press freedom in India, which shows COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 exacerbated the repression on the journalists and media in India. At least 13 journalists were killed while 12 women scribes were among 228 journalists (including two cases against media houses), who were attacked during 2020.
The India Press Freedom Report, released today by Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), which claims to conduct risks analysis to prevent violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms with a specific focus on the threats to the rule of law and democracy, stated that in 2020, the maximum number of journalists/media organisations were targeted in Uttar Pradesh (37); followed by Maharashtra (22); Jammu and Kashmir (18); Delhi (15); Karnataka (12); Andhra Pradesh and Tripura (11 each); Tamil Nadu (10); Gujarat, Telangana and West Bengal (8 each); Assam, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Odisha (7 each); Punjab (6); Rajasthan (5); Bihar and Madhya Pradesh (4 each); Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana and Jharkhand (2 each); Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Goa, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Uttarakhand (1 each).
The report mentioned the 12 women journalists who were attacked faced physical violence, online harassment/threats and cases including under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) of 1967.
With respect to the killing of 13 journalists, the report stated that Uttar Pradesh reported the highest with six deaths (Shubham Mani Tripathi, Vikram Joshi, Ratan Singh, Suraj Pandey, Uday Paswan and Rakesh Singh), followed by two deaths each in Assam (Bijendeep Tanti and Parag Bhuyan) and Madhya Pradesh (Sunil Tiwari and Syed Adil Wahab), and one death each in Kerala (SV Pradeep), Rajasthan (Abhishek Soni) and Tamil Nadu (Isravel Moses). Out of the 13 journalists, 12 journalists were killed by the non-State actors/criminals while one journalist was killed by two policemen together with the non-State actors/criminals. One disturbing pattern that was particularly common with respect to the killings was the fact that prior to their deaths, some of the journalists had approached the local police seeking protection but the police had failed to take action that could have saved their lives.
Apart from the murders, 101 journalists were attacked physically and online during 2020. Of these, 42 journalists were subjected to beating by public officials including police with 35, which included five custodial torture; three (3) journalists were allegedly beaten by the Army; two (2) journalists were allegedly beaten by forest guards; one (1) journalist was allegedly beaten by Government Railway Police (GRP) and one (1) by staff of a panchayat; 14 journalists were targeted allegedly by members/supporters of political parties; 39 journalists, including the house of one journalist was damaged and his two family members beaten, were attacked by vigilantes/mob and unidentified persons; while six (6) journalists were subjected to online harassment/threats.
Out of the total 228 journalists, 114 journalists were attacked by the non-State actors such as mob, unidentified miscreants, members/ supporters of political parties etc or online social media users while 112 journalists and two media houses were targeted by the State agencies. A number of journalists faced multiple targeting such as registration of First Information Reports (FIRs), show cause notices for appearance, detention and questioning without registration of any formal case before the police, custodial torture.
In all 37 journalists were arrested or detained, 64 journalists/media institutions had FIRs registered against them, 13 journalists and one newspaper were issued show-cause notices/ summons by different authorities and 101 journalists were subjected to physical assault/online threats or their houses and family members being attacked. A number of journalists faced multiple FIRs within a State as well as in different States including Arnab Goswami, Vinod Dua, Aakar Patel, Jagat Bains, Om Sharma, Ashwani Saini, and Amish Devgan. To avoid arrest following the filing of FIRs, several journalists had to seek relief from the courts including the Supreme Court, the report mentioned.
Among the arrested journalists, the maximum number were arrested/detained in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu with five (5) each, followed by Telangana and Uttar Pradesh with four (4) each; Jammu and Kashmir (3); two (2) each in Gujarat and West Bengal; and one each in Assam, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Manipur, Odisha, and Uttarakhand.
According to the report, the laws invoked against the journalists included the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1973, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) of 1967, the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897, the Disaster Management Act of 2005, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989, the Information Technology Act of 2000, the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act of 2012, the Official Secrets Act of 1923 and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act of 2015.
Suhas Chakma, Director of the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) while releasing India Press Freedom Report 2020, however, said that the report was prepared based on news reports mainly in English language and the targeting of the journalists as reported in vernacular press could not be covered. This report, therefore, does not reflect the exact scale of attacks on the journalists and media during 2020. “It is only indicative of the patterns and practices of attacks on the journalists and media in India,” he said.
– global bihari bureau
