New York, January 29, 2020 (PPI-OT): The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists has denounced as complete farce India’s claim of having partially restored internet access in occupied Kashmir, saying that many local news websites remain blocked in the territory.
The CPJ pointed out that media organizations still lack broadband internet access 177 days after India annexed Kashmir and enforced a communications shut down. Earlier this month, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that freedom of speech “using the medium of internet is constitutionally protected”.
“It is a complete farce for the Indian government to claim it is restoring internet if news websites are blocked and journalists do not have the speed and quality of service they need to do their essential work,” Aliya Iftikhar, CPJ’s senior Asia researcher, said in a statement.
“By continuing to control access to information, the Indian government is showing a complete disregard for the constitutional right to freedom of speech,” she said. “Full internet access should be restored immediately,” she demanded.
For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org