Aakash Hassan
Srinagar
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has expressed serious concerns over the one-month ban on Social Media in Kashmir. The IFJ has also demanded that the ban order should be “immediately withdrawn and citizens’ rights to information and communication be respected.”
The International Federation of Journalists is the world’s largest organisation of journalists. The Federation represents around 600.000 members in 139 countries across the world. The IFJ promotes international action to defend press freedom and social justice through strong, free and independent trade unions of journalists.
In a statement it said that “The IFJ notes that Kashmir has witnessed as many 14 internet shutdowns since 2016 and four of them in April 2017, making India the leading country in the world in virtual curfews.”
The IFJ said: “The internet shutdown is a form of censorship and against the fundamental rights of people to freedom of opinion and expression. The IFJ is seriously concerned by the frequent shutdowns of internet services in Kashmir and the impact of the shutdowns on media, journalists and people. The IFJ urges the Indian authorities to immediately withdraw the ban orders and ensure that the internet is not shut down in future.”
