Srinagar: In occupied Kashmir, Kashmir Editors’ Guild (KEG) has staged a protest along with electronic and print media journalists at Press Enclave in Srinagar against the assault on photojournalists by Indian army and police in Hyderpora on Thursday.
The assault on journalists was caught on camera, triggering outrage and condemnation from civil and political groups. The media persons were carrying placards reading “We Protest†and “Don’t stifle the Media†while asking forces including Director General of Police to apologize for the act. “We will not publish police press notes or advertisements unless an apology comes from police chief,†KEG said.
The KEG held a meeting before holding a symbolic protest which was led by Guild President Fayaz Ahmad Kaloo. The protest was attended by working journalists, photographers and those working for TV channels besides Guild members.
Talking to reporters, KEG spokesperson Masood Hussain said they won’t cover functions organized by police and boycott their press releases and advertisements until the police chief tenders an apology and takes action against guilty officers.
“This has become a routine now for police, and to stop this routine we have taken this step not to give them coverage until police chief takes action against his officers,†he added.
On Thursday police assaulted a group of journalists which include senior photojournalists Tauseef Mustafa (AFP), Mubashir Khan (Greater Kashmir), Farooq Javed Khan (European Press Photo Agency), Umar Sheikh (Times Now), Shauib Masoodi (Indian Express) and Imran Nisar (DNA).
The journalists were performing their professional duties outside the house of Syed Ali Gilani at Hyderpora.
Two photojournalists had sustained injuries in the incident.