CPJ urges probe after journalist Rana Ayyub receives death threats in India

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published last month |  JP Global Monitoring

Journalist Rana Ayyub reported receiving threats demanding she write about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. CPJ has urged Indian authorities to act swiftly and ensure her safety.

Summary

NEW DELHI — The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Indian authorities to urgently investigate and ensure the safety of journalist Rana Ayyub after she reported receiving multiple death threats.

According to CPJ’s India representative, Kunal Majumder, Ayyub received a series of video and phone calls from an international number on November 2, demanding that she write a column on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, during which about 3,000 Sikhs were killed following the assassination of then–Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

In her complaint, Ayyub said the caller’s profile image matched a photograph of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently imprisoned in Gujarat. The caller allegedly stated her home address and threatened to send people to attack her and kill her father if she refused to publish the article.

“The threats of violence made against Rana Ayyub and her father from an unknown international number are deeply concerning,” CPJ said. “Authorities must act swiftly to identify and hold accountable those responsible, and to ensure the safety of all journalists in India so they can work without fear of intimidation or violence.”