The Press Club of India (PCI) on Thursday (January 22, 2026) criticised the Jammu and Kashmir Police for its decision to “orally summon several journalists, including Srinagar-based reporters of at least three national dailies, for questioning without providing them with specific reasons while doing so”.
In a statement, the PCI said, “The reporters have been questioned over routine, fact-based reports based on publicly available information — a clear attempt to prevent them from fulfilling their duties as journalists.”
“The fact that one of these reporters had to spend 15 hours over four days in Srinagar’s Cyber Police Station and was told to sign a bond saying that he would not ‘disturb the peace’ indicates the harassment being unleashed on journalists in the region. Such arbitrary actions create an overall atmosphere of fear, where journalists cannot go about their daily jobs and exercise their constitutional right to work freely,” it said.
Demanding that the J&K authorities allow journalists to discharge their duties without fear of intimidation and coercion and follow due process in their interactions with journalists, the PCI said, “India’s vibrant democracy stands on the shoulders of a free and fearless press; actions like this work to undermine that tradition.”
