For the past three days, there have been no newspapers in Kashmir and the only news that Kashmiris have had access to is what they can see online through their computers (mobile internet has been suspended for ten days now). Since July 16, reports have come in of police raiding newspaper offices and seizing copies. Greater Kashmir reported that the police seized its printing plates from the printing press as well as 50,000 copies of Kashmir Uzma. The printing press’ foreman and two other employees were also reportedly arrested. Journalists working with Greater Kashmir and Rising Kashmir were reportedly harassed by local police.

In response to the media gag issued by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, Rising Kashmir went with this front page. They’ve had the same front page for their epaper since Saturday.

You can see the entire cartoon here.

Yesterday, the Editors Guild of India issued a statement strongly condemning the press censorship in Kashmir. Signed by President Raj Chengappa, General Secretary Prakash Dube and Treasurer Seema Mustafa, it described the ongoing crackdown on local press as “unwarranted muzzling of the media”. The full statement is given below:

The Editors Guild of India strongly condemns the efforts by the Jammu and Kashmir Government to gag the media in the state. The police was sent in the early hours of the morning into the offices of the local media in Kashmir with the printing presses being seized along with the copies of the newspapers that had just been printed.

Reports suggest that the journalists and other staff working in Greater Kashmir and Rising Kashmir were detained, harassed and their mobiles taken away by the raiding police parties.

It is extremely unfortunate that the State Government, under fire for its poor management of the law and order situation in the Valley, has sought to shoot the messenger.

The Editors Guild notes that the two main English newspapers of Kashmir, Greater Kashmir and Rising Kashmir, are run by responsible editors and journalists and report events with sobriety.

We are also aghast to note that the media censorship will continue, for a minimum of three days if not more. This is a direct assault to the freedom of the press in India and the Guild strongly condemns this unwarranted muzzling of the media.

The Editors Guild of India requests the State Government to immediately lift the censorship and refrain from any action to intimidate the press.