India’s G20 Meet Criticized for ‘Brutal’ Kashmir Media Crackdown

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has criticized the Indian government’s crackdown on media and arrests of journalists in Indian-administered Kashmir, as New Delhi holds a Group of 20 (G20) tourism meeting in the disputed region. The CPJ has called for the release of four Kashmiri journalists who have been arbitrarily detained, including Asif Sultan, Fahad Shah, Sajad Gul, and Irfan Mehraj. Press freedom in the region has worsened since August 2019, when the Indian government stripped Kashmir of its limited autonomy and brought it under direct control. Since then, journalists have been operating in a climate of fear, with many being forced into self-censorship. The CPJ released its statement as around 60 foreign delegates gathered in Srinagar for a three-day meeting to promote global tourism.