A total of 194 Indian journalists were harassed by state agencies, non-state political actors and criminals, as well as armed opposition groups (AOGs) in the year 2022, according to a report by Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG). Among them, seven journalists were killed while doing their job, the report said.
As per the report, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) witnessed the highest number of incidents with 48 targeted journalists, followed by Telangana (40), Odisha (14), Uttar Pradesh (13), and Delhi (12).
Out of the 194 targeted journalists, 103 faced harassment by state actors, while 91 were targeted by non-state actors, including political activists. Among the state actors, 70 journalists were arrested or detained, 14 faced First Information Reports (FIRs), four were summoned by police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and 15 were physically attacked, threatened, or harassed by public officials and police. Telangana recorded the highest number of arrests and detentions with 40 cases, followed by Uttar Pradesh (6), Jammu and Kashmir (4), and other states with lower numbers.
FIRs were registered against 14 journalists under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sedition (Section 124-A), defamation (Section 500), acts intended to outrage religious feelings (Section 295A), promoting enmity between different groups (Section 153A), and sections of the Information Technology Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
In addition to state actors, non-state political actors and criminals targeted 91 journalists across the country. Odisha and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of attacks with five incidents each. At least four journalists were summoned for questioning, including Gowhar Geelani and Yash Raj Sharma from Jammu and Kashmir, Wangkhemcha Shamjai from Manipur, and Sucheta Dalal from Maharashtra, who were summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in New Delhi.
Fifteen journalists were physically attacked, molested, threatened, and harassed by public officials, including police officers. Odisha recorded the highest number of cases, with four journalists beaten by police. Immigration officials also prevented three journalists, Aakash Hussain, Sanna Irshad Mattoo, and Rana Ayyub, from traveling abroad.
Non-state political actors and criminals were responsible for the killing of seven journalists. Subash Kumar Mahto was killed due to his reporting, while others were victims of personal enmities or incidents such as road rage.
The report highlights the precarious situation faced by journalists in India, as they remain vulnerable to severe attacks from both state and non-state actors, both online and offline.