NEW YORK – The Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent watchdogbody, has denounced as “complete farce” India’s claim of having partiallyrestored internet access in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, saying many localnews websites remain blocked.
Media organizations still lack broadband internet access 177 days afterIndia annexed Jammu and Kashmir and enforced a communications shut down,CPJ pointed out.
Earlier this month, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that freedom of speech“using the medium of internet is constitutionally protected.”
“It is a complete farce for the Indian government to claim it is restoringinternet if news websites are blocked and journalists do not have the speedand quality of service they need to do their essential work,” AliyaIftikhar, CPJ’s senior Asia researcher, said in a statement on Tuesday.
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“By continuing to control access to information, the Indian government isshowing a complete disregard for the constitutional right to freedom ofspeech,” she said. “Full internet access should be restored immediately.”
