Indian police threaten action against BBC over Kashmir report
Report looks at alleged crackdown on the Kashmiri press that has seen several journalists arrested
NEW DELHI, India – Police in Indian-administered Kashmir say they are considering action against the BBC for publishing a report on the problems faced by journalists in the region.
The report, titled “Every Story Could Be Your Last,” looks at the alleged crackdown on the Kashmiri press that has seen several journalists arrested on charges of “terrorism.”
The Jammu and Kashmir police have criticized the article.
In a statement, a police spokesman claimed the report was biased and threatened legal action against the British broadcaster.
The BBC’s investigation follows an incident in which The Kashmir Walla, a local news channel, claimed that Indian authorities had blocked its website.
In Kashmir, a disputed region between India and Pakistan, tensions have escalated since 2019, when India revoked the region’s semi-autonomous status.
The BBC said it spoke to more than two dozen Kashmiri journalists for the report, including editors and reporters working for national and international media.
Meanwhile, a recent report showed that India has fallen in the global press freedom index, ranking 161st out of 180 countries.
This year, BBC offices in India also came under scrutiny following a documentary on the 2002 anti-Muslim riots in the western state of Gujarat.
In 2023, Reporters Without Borders rated media freedom in India worse than in Afghanistan and Colombia.
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