Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) data has revealed that 194 journalists, including seven women journalists, were targeted across India during the year 2022.
The report said that the attacks were carried out by a range of perpetrators, including state agencies, non-state political actors, criminals, and armed opposition groups.
RRAG report revealed that among the states and union territories (UTs), journalists in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) were targeted the most, with a staggering 48 cases reported.
This was followed by Telangana, where 40 incidents took place. Other regions include Odisha with 14 cases, Uttar Pradesh with 13 cases, Delhi with 12 cases, and West Bengal with 11 cases.
"The situation remains grave in other states as well. Madhya Pradesh and Manipur each witnessed six cases of journalists being targeted. Assam and Maharashtra reported five cases while Bihar, Karnataka, and Punjab recorded four cases each while Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Meghalaya have recorded three cases each," RRAG data revealed.
A total of 103 journalists faced targeting from state actors, while 91 journalists were targeted by non-state actors, including political activists, the data stated.
Among the 103 targeted journalists, 70 were arrested or detained, 14 had First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against them, four were summoned by the police and Enforcement Directorate (ED), and 15 were allegedly subjected to physical attacks, threats, and harassment by public officials and police, including instances where immigration officials prevented them from flying abroad.
Telangana reported the highest number of arrests and detentions, with 40 cases, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 6 cases, Jammu and Kashmir with 4 cases, and Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Manipur, and Odisha with 2 cases each. Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal each reported one case.
"The FIRs filed against 14 journalists encompassed various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Sections 124-A (sedition), 500 (punishment for defamation), 295A (acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), as well as Sections 66-C, 67, and 69 of the Information Technology Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," said Suhas Chakma, the Director of the RAAG.
In 2022, four journalists were summoned for questioning, with three being questioned by the police: Gowhar Geelani and Yash Raj Sharma from Jammu and Kashmir and Wangkhemcha Shamjai from Manipur. Sucheta Dalal from Maharashtra was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in New Delhi.
Furthermore, 15 journalists were allegedly subjected to physical attacks, molestation, threats, and harassment by public officials and police across the country. Odisha recorded the highest number of cases, with four journalists being assaulted by the police.
Immigration officials prevented three journalists, namely Aakash Hassan, Sanna Irshad Mattoo, and Rana Ayyub from flying abroad.
Regarding attacks by non-state political actors and criminals, a total of 91 journalists were targeted across the country in 2022. Odisha and Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of reported attacks, with five cases each.
Among these incidents, seven journalists lost their lives due to actions by non-state political actors and criminals. One journalist, Subash Kumar Mahto, was killed for his reporting, while the remaining deaths resulted from personal enmities, road rage, and similar reasons.
(With inputs from IANS)
