IFJ Condemns Attempted Murder of Indian Journalist

July 17, 2012

IFJ Condemns Attempted Murder of Indian Journalist

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins partners and affiliates in India in condemning the attempt on the life of Tonggam Rina, Associate Editor of the Arunachal Times, in Itanagar, capital of the north-eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, on June 15.

According to information received from the IFJ-affiliated Indian Journalists’ Union, Rina was shot, sustaining a serious abdominal injury, as she entered her office that evening. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment and her condition was described by the head of the state police force as “out of danger”.

Rina has reportedly faced threats in the recent past over her reporting. One such instance followed her reporting on certain irregularities in the functioning of the public distribution system for food and other essential commodities in the state. There were also threats made against her after she reported on the factional rivalries within an armed underground group in two districts of the state. The office of her newspaper was ransacked on April 16 this year, with the assailants remaining at large. Two other female journalists in Itanagar have also received telephoned threats from unknown callers recently.

“The IFJ wishes Tonggam Rina a swift recovery and an early resumption of her professional activities”, said the IFJ Asia-Pacific.

“We extend our support to the journalists of Arunachal Pradesh who are observing a day-long work stoppage in protest against the attempt on Rina’s life”.

“We call on the state authorities to thoroughly investigate this attack, as well as all previous instances of overt threats being made to journalists, which may all be linked”.

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries

Find the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific

Find the IFJ on Facebook: www.facebook.com/IFJAsiaPacific

ENDS

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