“Journalism is not a Crime”, Journalists protest en mass in Kashmir after few were denied entry to R-Day function

By Kamran Yousuf

Kashmiri Journalists on Saturday took out a protest rally against barring them from the R-Day function at SK Stadium in Srinagar.

“Stop labelling journalists”

Scores of journalists started their protest at Kashmir Press Club and marched towards the historic clock tower at the City Centre. For the first time, the media fraternity of Kashmir boycotted the R-day function at Sher-e-Kashmir stadium here after five senior journalists were restricted to cover the event.

Later, the journalists belonging to various media organizations took out a protest rally against the incident.  Many video and photojournalist were denied the passes and many other were “blacklisted”.

“Blacklist us all”

Meanwhile Kashmir Editors Guild has condemned the incident, and demanded action against the officials who denied passes to the journalists.

“Journalism is not a crime”

“KEG demands that the state government should take stringent action against the police officers who sought to muzzle the press and take steps to create a situation where media can function freely and discharge its duty to the citizens by providing information on the happenings in the state,” KEG said in a statement.

Journalists protest in Srinagar, Kashmir

“KEG also demands the details of the so called adverse reports that the police claims it has collected against the senior scribes.”

“Stand up in defense of the right to report”

“The slogan “Journalism is not a crime”continue to be the prominent slogan raised by Kashmiri journalists

“Stand up for the Right to Report”