India: CFWIJ condemns the police intimidation of journalist Barkha Dutt

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February 23, 2021— The Unnao police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against The MOJO story news portal run by senior Indian journalist Barkha Dutt. The FIR names seven other Twitter handles for deliberately spreading misinformation over the case. Barkha has termed the police action against her as “brazen harassment and bullying”, and she is ready to fight the charges in court. CFWIJ offers its full support and solidarity to the journalist. We urge the Unnao police department to drop the baseless claims against Barkha. 
Barkha Dutt shared on her Twitter account that her news portal, The MOJO story, did not misreport the double murder of two Dalit girls in Unnao. She clarified that the news portal only reported the facts that were revealed by the victim’s family. Barkha stated in a tweet, “On FIR against us for reporting Unnao murders- We've followed journalistic principles by reporting all sides of an evolving story. To use IPC sections that are punishable with prison is pure intimidation. I am very ready to fight it and face it in court. Statement @themojostory.”

The FIR names and accuses multiple Twitter handles of propagating misleading news regarding the murder of two minor girls with the intent to disturb public harmony. The report was about the murder of two young girls who were found dead with another injured girl in an agricultural field. The girls had left home to gather food for cattle on the night of Wednesday, February 17, but never returned. The family of the girls accused the police of a forceful early cremation. The last rites were performed on Friday, under tight security. After launching an investigation into the murders, the police have apprehended two suspects. 


Barkha Dutt detailed in a Twitter thread how all aspects of the story were concealed. The narratives of both the police and the family were reported. The journalist also clarified that following the police’s denial, they deleted the tweet about police involvement in the premature cremation of the murdered girls. Barkha also shared, “The update on this : just when you thought it couldn't get any more shocking the Unnao Police has refused to even give us a copy of the FIR in total violation of my legal rights, and without which we cannot appeal for judicial intervention. Brazen Harassment and bullying.”

This is not the first time that the journalist has suffered intimidation. In the past Barkha has endured abusive troll campaigns against her on Twitter. She was subjected to several rape and death threats. The journalists' Twitter account was even suspended by Twitter for pushing back the men who harassed her.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with Barkha and the seven journalists targeted by police intimidation. We urge the Unnao police authorities to drop the contrived charges against the journalists, and respect the principles of press freedom.