Journalist threatened in India after personal phone number shared

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 16 September 2016

Journalist Deepak Chaurasia received threatening calls after his personal number was publicly shared. The IFJ demands action against those responsible.

Summary

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the National Union of Journalists (India) have condemned the threat calls to Deepak Chaurasia, editor in chief of India News TV, allegedly for his differences with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The IFJ condemned the intimidation of Chaurasia and demanded immediate action against the people issuing the threats.
 
On September 14, Chaurasia lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at the Safdarjung Enclave Police Station against unidentified persons after receiving multiple threat calls on his personal phone number. Chaurasia alleged that he started receiving threat calls after Delhi Tourism and Water Resources Minister Kapil Mishra shared his number in a tweet after the India News TV made public the numbers of AAP ministers listed in AAP website in a TV program.
 
NUJI President Ras Bihari said, “Journalists are being threatened time and again by AAP coordinator and Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his ministers and AAP leaders. The Delhi Secretariat has also restricted entry to journalists critical to the state government. The Delhi Government has shown no respect to freedom of expression.”
 
NUJI said the union would submit a memorandum to the President of India; and stage a sit-in protest at the Delhi Secretariat building if the state fails to punish those who have issued threats to Deepak Chaurasia.
 
The IFJ said, “The IFJ condemns the threats to India News TV editor Deepak Chaurasia. It is unfortunate that a minister irresponsibly released journalist’s private number on his tweet criticizing the journalists which invited abusive phone calls to the journalist. The IFJ demands immediate action against those sending threats and abuses to Chaurasia.”- IFJ media release

KEY POINTS:

• Deepak Chaurasia threatened after his number was shared online.
• IFJ and NUJI condemn the intimidation of the journalist.
• Chaurasia filed an FIR against unidentified threat callers.
• Aam Aadmi Party leaders are accused of endangering journalists.
• NUJI plans to protest if authorities fail to take action.