New Delhi: The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Indian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release journalist Mohammad Zubair and cease harassing him.
In a statement, CPJ’s Asia programme coordinator in Washington, Steven Butler said the arrest of the journalist marks another low for press freedom in India, where the government has created a hostile and unsafe environment for members of the press reporting on sectarian issues.
Recently, Indian police have arrested top Journalist News Co-Founder, Mohammed Zubair in New Delhi. He has been under attack from Hindu nationalists for calling out hate speech by several Hindu monks and Hindutva politicians including Yati Narsinghanand, Mahant Bajrang Muni, Anand Swaroop and Nupur Sharma.
CPJ’s 2021 annual prison census found that seven journalists were detained in India and in IIOJK as of 01 December 2021, setting the country’s record for the highest number of detained journalists since at least 1992. DIGIPUB, an organisation of digital news media organizations has also condemned the arrest, noting that it “firmly stands with Zubair”, and urging the Delhi Police to “immediately” withdraw the case. The hashtag #IStandWithZubair has by now been Tweeted more than 500,000 times. Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, also Tweeted against the arrest. Gandhi’s use of the hashtag #DaroMat led to it trending. MP Shashi Tharoor, like Gandhi, highlighted the “assault on truth” that such an arrest signified. Congress whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore also demanded an immediate release of the journalist. Several journalists and politicians highlighted the nature of the purported crime for which Zubair had been made to pay – exposing hate speech.
Many including Opposition leaders, Journalists, Rights activists and thousands of social media users in India are calling for Alt News co-founder and journalist Mohammed Zubair to be immediately released. Global community to protect journalist also urged authorities to immediately release Zubair. Web Desk
