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Censored
April 17
Kashmiri newspaper editors, CENSORED
Kashmir's federally appointed state government sent a directive to local newspaper editors, warning them that they faced criminal charges if they published statements by separatist leaders, material deemed "prejudicial to the unity and integrity of the state and the country," or articles that "directly or indirectly express lack of faith" in the state and federal constitutions. The directive, issued a month before federal elections were to be held in Kashmir, also barred "inflammatory matter likely to foment regional tension" and, in a vaguely worded provision, appeared to ban reports that would deter government employees from participating in the election process. In a press release, CPJ charged that the directive potentially encompassed any criticism of the electoral process, silenced debate over the issue of sovereignty, and undermined India's commitment to free and fair elections in Kashmir. On April 18, the pro-Pakistan Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Kashmir's most powerful separatist group, warned Kashmiri editors that they would be "dealt with severely" if they published government statements or advertisements in their newspapers. Responding to the threat and to the restrictions on the press introduced the previous day by the state government, newspaper editors in Srinagar, Kashmir's summer capital, shut down their publications indefinitely. On June 18, publication resumed after editors and publishers reached an agreement with the state government and separatist groups.
For more information contact asiaweb@cpj.org