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New Delhi, India – Two Indian journalists arrested in the northeastern state of Assam have been given bail for reporting violence against Muslims in the neighboring state of Tripura.
The arrests of Samriddi Sakunia and Swarna Jha on Sunday sparked concerns from media watchdogs, activists and politicians, who called it a “violation of press freedom”.
Sujit Nair, co-founder and managing editor of the HW News Network, said on Monday that the chief judicial magistrate in the Gomati district of Tripura told reporters on the channel – Sakunia and Jha – had a guarantee.
“Our thanks to our lawyers and everyone who helped us,” he said he tweeted.
Sakunia and Jha were arrested on charges of publishing false news aimed at breaking the harmony of the community. Young journalists, in their 20s, are reporting from Tripura as they witnessed heavy violence against Muslims at the end of last month, in which more than a dozen mosques witnessed fire attacks.
The Tripura Police had previously filed cases against 102 people, including journalists, for their posts on social media about violence under the Law on Illegal Activities (Prevention) or UAPA. Ertzaintza has accused users of spreading fake news.
According to the HW News Network, a case against Sakunia and Jha was filed on Sunday by Tripura police in a complaint issued by a Kanchan Das, a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council or VHP). Bharatiya Janata to the Hindu Nationalist Party (BJP).
‘Violation of Press Freedom’
Several press organizations, including the Indian Publishers Guild (EGI) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have condemned the police action against journalists and demanded their immediate release.
“The arrest of Samriddhi and Swarnaa is a violation of Press Freedom,” the CPJ said in a statement.
“The Tripura chief minister must order the police to release Sakunia and Jha immediately from Biplab Kumar Deb Assam, and he must ask the Tripura police to prosecute the journalists for doing their job.”
Condemning the action of the Ertzaintza, EGI said: “[EGI] it demands immediate release and the restoration of the freedom to travel. ‘
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the main opposition party in Congress, accused the BJP of “killing journalism” on Sunday.
“The BJP system is busy killing journalism. But when has the truth stopped in the face of lies?” Gandhi said in a tweet.
“Don’t ask too many questions”
On Thursday, the Supreme Court of India agreed to set a date for the Tripura police to hear a claim to challenge the anti-terrorism law as part of an independent group to investigate the incidents against the two lawyers who visited the state.
The project’s search group said in its report that Muslims were the target of violence, adding that Hindu clothing such as VHP, Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) and Bajrang Dal were involved in the violence against Muslims.
Laxmi Murthy, a member of the Network of Women in Media India (NWMI) group, told Al Jazeera that such arrests were intended to send a message to other journalists not to cross the border.
“It’s about sending a message, and what it does, not just to that individual journalist, but to the media community in general, if you dare to cross a line and ask too many questions, this is what’s waiting for you,” Murthy said. .
“It is quite ironic that journalists trying to reach the depths of community conflict are subject to provisions that cause community tensions. It’s very ironic and terribly disturbing.
“The official version, the police version was accepted and left and that’s what is driving the accusation today.”
In 2010, India ranked 122nd in the World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a French NGO. But his rankings have steadily declined over the years. In 2021, India ranked 142nd out of 180 countries.
Who was behind the violence?
A few days after the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, members of far-right Hindu groups staged protest rallies in Tripura and allegedly attacked Muslims and their religious sites, including mosques.
Violence against Hindus erupted last month at the Durga Puja festival in Bangladesh when a photo of the Quran allegedly placed on an idol of a Hindu god sparked riots in the country. At least two Hindus were killed and dozens of houses in the minority group were attacked by Muslims.
Muslims, who make up less than 10 percent of Tripura’s 3.7 million population, remain intimidated by the BJP, which governs the states of Assam and Tripura, denies violence.
Police said no mosques were attacked, but independent media and reports say religious sites and property belonging to the minority community were attacked by Hindu groups.
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