The Kashmir Walla

The Kashmir Walla
Type of site
News and opinion website
Available inEnglish
Founder(s)Fahad Shah
URLthekashmirwalla.com
Launched2009
Current statusBlocked by Indian Government on 19 August 2023.[1]

The Kashmir Walla was an independent news and opinion website founded in 2009 by Fahad Shah.[2] The news portal focused on providing news and analysis related to the region of Jammu and Kashmir. It covered a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, society, and more. As of August 2023, the website and it's social media handles are blocked in India, while accessible in other countries.[3]

History

The news portal was established in 2009 by Fahad Shah, with the aim of providing a platform for local voices to be heard and to report on issues relevant to the region.[4] Over the years, it gained recognition for its independent journalism and coverage of events in Jammu and Kashmir.[2][5]


Interim editor, Yashraj Sharma assumed the position after Fahad Shah was imprisoned in 2022. In a documentary about Kashmir Walla operating while conditions worsen for journalist, Sharma says, "It's strictly about press freedom. To try to save the free press."[6]

In November 2023, Fahad Shah was released from prison after 21 months and resumed his role as The Kashmir Walla editor and continues to fight four legal cases against him in various courts. In July 2024, in an interview to The Quint Shah said, "I think, if you're truly a journalist, if there is a story and you have everything that qualifies as a proper piece in journalism, you’d still report it.” [7] He has been barred from using social media and also not allowed to travel out of state as per the court orders.

Controversies

Website Blocking in August 2023

In August 2023, 'The Kashmir Walla' faced significant controversy when its website, Facebook page, and X (formerly Twitter) account were blocked within India. The news portal received information from its server providers that the website had been taken down on the request of the central government.[5] The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology cited the Information Technology Act, 2000 as the legal basis for this action. The move led to the website becoming inaccessible to users within India, and its social media accounts were also rendered inaccessible.[3]

This action came in the wake of a series of challenges faced by the news portal. Founder-editor Fahad Shah had been arrested[8] in February 2022 over the coverage of a gunfight.[9][10] Subsequently, the news portal's staff encountered harassment and a hostile environment for journalism in the region.[4] The office was vacated by the outlet due to an eviction notice from the landlord on the next day of blockade.[11]

The blocking of 'The Kashmir Walla' was met with condemnation from various quarters. The Digipub News India Foundation criticized the central government's decision, labeling it as an attempt to intimidate Kashmiri journalists and further suppress free speech. Amnesty International also expressed concern, stating that the move was part of a pattern of repression against independent media in the region.[12] Beh Lih Yi, the Asia program coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists, described the latest moves as a "new low for press freedom."[13] In a statement to VOA, she further emphasized that the censorship was not only arbitrary but also shrouded in secrecy, highlighting the lack of transparency surrounding the decision-making process. The incident ignited concerns about the erosion of media independence and the broader implications for free speech in the region.[3]

Critics have drawn a connection between the closure of The Kashmir Walla news portal and a broader pattern of press crackdown in the disputed region. In the aftermath of New Delhi's decision to revoke the territory's partial autonomy and establish direct rule in 2019, the region has witnessed a significant increase in incidents involving journalists. Dozens of journalists have been consistently summoned by the police and subjected to questioning about their work.[14]

References

  1. ^ ""It won't stop at Kashmir," says a senior editor about a key news site being blocked". Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b "India blocks independent news outlet The Kashmir Walla". Al Jazeera. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Kashmir Walla Website, Social Media Blocked". VOA. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b Raina, Muzaffar (21 August 2023). "'Censorship' cry as Centre blocks website and social media handles of The Kashmir Walla". Telegraph India. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b Masood, Bashaarat (21 August 2023). "Over a year after editor's arrest, The Kashmir Walla says its website taken down". The Indian Express. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  6. ^ Burhan, Bhat (19 May 2023). "Newsroom Without an Editor" (short documentary). VOA. Retrieved 15 Nov 2023.
  7. ^ Saran, Mekhala (11 July 2024). "'You Realise What You're Missing': Fahad Shah Talks About How Prison Changed Him". The Quint. Retrieved 1 Dec 2024.
  8. ^ Masood, Bashaarat (14 March 2022). "Jailed scribe Fahad Shah booked under PSA in J&K". The Indian Express. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  9. ^ Masood, Bashaarat (18 April 2022). "J&K Police arrests Ph.D student under UAPA for 2011 online article". The Indian Express. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  10. ^ Spicer, Sarah (19 April 2022). "Indian authorities raid The Kashmir Walla, arrest contributor over 2011 article". Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  11. ^ Gao, Larissa (22 August 2023). "India blocks independent news outlet in Kashmir". NBC News. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Centre's action against 'Kashmir Walla' is another act of intimidating Kashmiri journalists: Digipub". Scroll.in. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  13. ^ Migiro, Katy (21 August 2023). "India blocks The Kashmir Walla website and social media accounts". Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  14. ^ "Kashmir news portal vacates office after India crackdown". Arab News. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.