Journalists Facing Increasing Violence and Suppression
A recent report has shed light on the alarming rise in attacks against journalists, with a total of 40 incidents documented in the past year. Shockingly, 33 of these attacks were specifically targeted at journalists, resulting in the tragic deaths of nine individuals, eight of whom were journalists. The violence seems to be particularly directed towards rural reporters who have been fearless in their coverage of local corruption, maladministration, and illegal activities.
One such case that has garnered attention is the death of Rajeev Pratap, the owner of the YouTube channel Delhi Uttarakhand Live. His body was discovered in the Bhagirathi river not long after he released a video discussing liquor consumption in a local hospital. Despite police attributing his death to drunk driving, his colleagues dispute this claim.
Furthermore, the report highlights the unjust imprisonment of two journalists under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Irfan Mehraj from Kashmir has been detained since March 2023, while Rupesh Kumar from Jharkhand has been behind bars since July 2022.
Additionally, the report reveals a disturbing trend of arrests and legal harassment of citizens, with a total of 117 arrests made throughout the year, including eight journalists. There were also 208 instances of lawfare, where criminal cases were filed against multiple individuals.
In a concerning development, the State Investigation Agency of Jammu & Kashmir Police conducted a raid on the offices of the Kashmir Times in Jammu in November 2025. The newspaper, established in 1954, denounced the raid as an attempt to silence one of the few independent media outlets that dares to hold those in power accountable.
Crackdown on Free Expression Through Sedition Charges
In a troubling regression for freedom of speech, the archaic sedition law, dating back to the colonial era, resurfaced in April. Satirists Neha Singh Rathore, Madri Kakoti (Dr. Medusa), and Shamita Yadav (Ranting Gola) found themselves charged with sedition for their social media posts criticizing administrative failures following the Pahalgam attack. Rathore’s attempt to secure anticipatory bail was rejected by the Allahabad High Court in December, signaling a shift in judicial stance.
Furthermore, in August, Assam police filed sedition cases against twelve columnists and editors of The Wire, including Siddharth Varadarajan and Karan Thapar, over articles published post the Pahalgam incident. Journalist Abhisar Sharma faced similar charges for his YouTube content.
