India criticised over arbitrary journey bans after photojournalist blocked from Pulitzer journey | India

Indian authorities have been criticised after a Kashmiri photojournalist mentioned she was barred from taking a flight to New York the place she was scheduled to obtain the 2022 Pulitzer prize.

Sanna Irshad Mattoo, 27, was in a staff of Reuters photographers who had gained a Pulitzer for characteristic pictures for his or her protection of the coronavirus disaster in India.

“The immigration officers stopped me on the New Delhi airport whereas my colleagues had been allowed to go,” Mattoo mentioned. “They instructed me that I can not take the flight however didn’t inform me the explanation behind it.”

It’s the second time Mattoo has been stopped by Indian authorities from travelling overseas. In July, she was stopped by immigration officers whereas taking a flight to Paris, the place she was to participate in a ebook launch and pictures exhibition displaying her pictures from Kashmir.

“I reached out to completely different officers after I used to be barred from travelling in July however acquired no response or acknowledgment,” she mentioned. “Having the ability to attend the award ceremony was a as soon as in a lifetime alternative for me. However the way in which authorities once more stopped me was humiliating.”

Mattoo will not be the primary journalist to be stopped by the Indian authorities from travelling overseas. A minimum of 4 extra Kashmiri journalists have been stopped from travelling overseas prior to now two years in what’s believed to be half of a bigger crackdown on journalists from the area, disputed between India, Pakistan and China.

Press freedom our bodies have condemned the motion and raised critical concern over this rising development.

“This resolution is unfair and extreme. Indian authorities should instantly stop all types of harassment and intimidation towards journalists masking the state of affairs in Kashmir,” mentioned Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia programme coordinator.

Aakar Patel, chair of the board of Amnesty Worldwide India, mentioned arbitrary journey bans are being utilized by Indian authorities to silence impartial and important voices.

“These arbitrary govt actions are usually not backed by any court docket order, warrant or perhaps a written clarification, making it troublesome for the activists and journalists to problem these within the courts,” he mentioned. “This has led to the authorities routinely utilizing journey bans as a most well-liked software within the wider crackdown on dissent. It is a blatant violation of human rights and should finish now.”

Authorities in India’s ministry of residence affairs, and Kashmir’s police chief, Vijay Kumar, refused to touch upon the incident.