The Press Freedom Files: Kashmir

The current Indian government, led by the right-wing Hindu nationalist BJP party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status by effectively revoking Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Days before the announcement, the region was subjected to internet shutdowns and media blackouts. Though India claimed at the time that the restrictions would be lifted shortly after the government regained control over the region, it turned out to be quite the opposite. The targeting of opposition leaders and the harassment and arbitrary imprisonment of journalists challenging the official narrative has widened.