CASR condemns SIA raid on Kashmir Times office, FIR against editor Anuradha Bhasin

By A Representative 

The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), a collective of several rights-based organisations, has issued a statement condemning the State Investigation Agency’s (SIA) raid on the Kashmir Times office and the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against its Managing Editor, Anuradha Bhasin.

According to CASR, the action against Bhasin—an experienced journalist known for her reporting from Jammu & Kashmir—marks a “troubling escalation” in what the group describes as growing pressure on independent media in the region. The statement alleges that the raid is part of a broader climate of intimidation faced by journalists and news organisations.

Bhasin has previously raised concerns about restrictions on press freedom in Kashmir. CASR noted that her recent book, 'A Dismantled State : The Untold Story of Kashmir After Article 370', which examines media curbs and civil liberties in the region, reportedly encountered obstacles, including limitations on public events. The organisation argues that the repeated scrutiny of her journalistic and literary work gives the impression of retaliatory action.

The statement places the incident within what it calls a “shrinking space” for journalism in Kashmir, citing incidents of searches, FIRs, equipment seizures, travel restrictions and arrests under laws such as the Public Safety Act (PSA), National Security Act (NSA) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Rights groups have previously expressed concern that these measures contribute to a climate of fear among reporters.

CASR said the raid on Kashmir Times appears to signal increasing pressure on independent newsrooms. It also expressed concern about the impact on the public’s right to information, arguing that constraints on the media undermine democratic accountability.

The organisation issued a set of demands, including an end to what it describes as coercive actions against journalists, protection of media professionals in Jammu & Kashmir, reversal of restrictions on publications and public events, and adherence to constitutional guarantees of free speech and press freedom. It also called for the release of journalists currently detained in the region.

CASR appealed to rights groups, civil society organisations and journalists to speak out against the developments, describing the situation as an attempt to curtail the functioning of Kashmir Times, one of the oldest newspapers in the region.

The press statement was endorsed by a wide range of organisations associated with CASR, including AIRSO, AISA, AISF, APCR, ASA, BASF, Bhim Army, CEM, CRPP, DTF, Fraternity Movement, IAPL, Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, NAPM, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, SFI, United Peace Alliance, WSS and others.