The Indian government has come under fire for allegedly targeting foreign journalists and restricting their work. The case of Avani Dias, a correspondent for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), has sparked outrage after she was denied a visa extension after reporting on sensitive issues. French journalist Vanessa Dougnac also faced similar pressure, leading to her departure from India.
Dias’ experience, and that of Dougnac recently, has raised concerns that India is targeting the media for certain reports that crossed the authorities. At least 30 foreign journalists have written an open letter protesting against what they saw as increased restrictions on visas and journalism permits.
Kunal Majumder, India’s representative of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), said that foreign journalists who cover thorny topics involving Delhi often face harassment and pressure. Such incidents violate the rights of journalists and hinder the public from accessing vital information and diverse viewpoints, he added.
According to a CPJ report, at least 15 journalists have been charged since 2014 under India’s anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which allows for detention without trial or charge for up to 180 days. Figures from the annual prison census show that India had held seven journalists behind bars in the past three years – the highest number since documentation began in 1992.
On February 14 last year, the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai were raided by Indian tax authorities after a documentary on Modi’s role in the 2001 Gujarat riots was broadcast. Delhi also banned the documentary online using emergency laws.
In January this year, Dougnac, who had lived in India for 22 years, left the country after the government denied her permission to work and threatened to cancel her Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card, citing her reports’ “malicious” and harmful to the country’s “sovereignty and integrity”.
S Venkat Narayan, president of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) in India, said that the media industry was generally free to operate in the country, even if there might be some journalists whose writing or broadcasting had ruffled feathers.
Narayan said journalists have to obey the rules without crossing the line. “FCC is always for the freedom of the press and against any suppression of the journalists, but you have to play the game by the rules.”
According to Narayan, when he raised the separate incidents involving Dias and Dougnac with India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the officials told him that the two journalists had not followed government-prescribed guidelines. For instance, Dias did not have permission to visit the Wagah border to make a documentary, Narayan said, citing Delhi’s comments.
India’s external affairs ministry did not respond to several requests for comment on the issue.
