Journalists and activists raise alarm over state repression on World Press Freedom day

By A Representative 

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) held a press conference at the Press Club of India to express solidarity with journalists incarcerated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other repressive laws. The event brought together journalists, filmmakers, writers, and activists to denounce the ongoing targeting of media workers, especially those reporting from conflict zones and marginalized regions.

Speakers at the event included filmmaker and writer Sanjay Kak, Newsclick founder Prabir Purkayastha, activist Sharjeel Usmani, and journalist Rejaz M Sheeba Sydek.

Prabir Purkayastha spoke about fellow inmate Irfan Mehraz, a Kashmiri journalist imprisoned under the UAPA. Drawing from his own experience, Purkayastha described the chilling effect of state repression on the media, particularly in small towns. “Even though urban repression is visible, the threats local journalists face—from both the State and criminal elements—remain ignored,” he said. He called for a collective network of journalists to provide mutual aid, legal support, and solidarity to those under attack.

Sanjay Kak highlighted the case of Irfan Mehraz, who was charged for expressing solidarity with pellet gun victims and reporting on state torture in Kashmir. Kak condemned the retrospective nature of the charges and emphasized that Mehraz’s legitimate journalistic work was being criminalized. “Where Kashmir once had a vibrant media, now it’s only visible in tourist brochures,” he noted.

Sharjeel Usmani criticized the role of mainstream media in distorting narratives and manufacturing consent for state repression. Citing the recent communal tensions in Nainital, he stressed the urgency of building alternative media and solidarity networks. He also raised concerns over state surveillance of journalists.

A statement by the group IPSA was read aloud, paying tribute to slain journalists including Mukesh Chandrakar—killed in Bastar for exposing corruption—and Gauri Lankesh. The note condemned the widespread killing of journalists in Palestine and the targeting of Indian journalists like Rupesh Kumar Singh, who faces multiple fabricated FIRs and repeated prison transfers. “Rupesh was branded a Maoist for exposing exploitation in Jharkhand,” the note read.

Journalist Rejaz M Sheeba Sydek shared a poem by Rupesh Kumar Singh and recounted his own arrests in Kerala and Karnataka for reporting on state violence. He commemorated Hem Chander Pandey and emphasized Mehraz’s role in challenging the sanitized portrayal of Kashmir. “Rupesh was targeted for exposing the truth behind a fake encounter by the CRPF,” he added.

The conference concluded with a discussion on the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) role in suppressing dissent. Activists criticized the use of a single “seized pen drive” as justification for widespread raids and arrests of journalists, lawyers, and activists, warning of an increasingly interconnected web of repression.

The event ended with a renewed call for media solidarity and organized resistance against state-led attacks on press freedom.