SIA Raids: Another Attempt to Silence Us, a ‘Kashmir Times’ statement

The reported raids on our office, the baseless accusations of activities “inimical to the state,” and the coordinated crackdown on the Kashmir Times are yet another attempt to silence us.

We have received no official intimation or statement to confirm the official actions. Our office, where the media reports suggest the raids took place, was shut since the last four years and out of operation.

The bizarre allegations against us are baseless.

Criticising the government is not the same as being inimical to the state. In fact, it is the very opposite. A robust, questioning press is essential to a healthy democracy. Our work of holding power to account, investigating corruption, amplifying marginalised voices strengthens our nation. It does not weaken it.

Since 1954, the Kashmir Times (whose founding editor was Ved Bhasin), has stood as a pillar of independent journalism. We have chronicled the region’s triumphs and failures with equal rigour. We have given voice to communities that would otherwise go unheard. We have asked difficult questions when others remained silent.

We are being targeted precisely because we continue to do this work. In an era when critical voices are increasingly scarce, we remain one of the few independent outlets willing to speak truth to power.

The accusations leveled against us are designed to intimidate, to delegitimise, and ultimately to silence. We will not be silenced.

We call on the authorities to immediately cease this harassment, withdraw these unfounded allegations, and respect the constitutional guarantees of press freedom. We call on our colleagues in the media to stand with us. We call on civil society, on citizens who value their right to know, to recognise that this moment is a test of whether journalism can survive in an environment of increasing authoritarianism.

Journalism is not a crime. Accountability is not treason. And we will continue to inform, investigate, and advocate for those who depend on us.

The state may have the power to raid our offices. But it cannot raid our commitment to the truth.

Our print edition was suspended in 2021-2022 after relentless targeting, but we continue the operation digitally. All our reporting and writing are publicly available on kashmirtimes.com.

Editors:

Prabodh Jamwal

Anuradha Bhasin