NEW DELHI: People's Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) has strongly condemned the recent raids and attack on Kashmir Times on November 20, 2025, and the accusation of “recovery of arms and incriminating material”. Amnesty International India and Pakistan India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy have also condemned the actions.
A press release of the PUDR said, “the raids were reportedly preceded by the registration of an FIR under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the editor, Anuradha Bhasin, for allegedly using the news portal for dissemination of terrorist and secessionist ideology, spreading inflammatory, fabricated and false narratives, challenging the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India through their print and digital content, and other such activities.”
Following the raids, the SIA's reported release noted that the investigations are ongoing, suggesting that further legal or state action may be taken against the organization.
PUDR has raised serious concerns about the nature of these actions, particularly given that the newspaper's proprietors are covered under Section 13 of the Press Act, which grants protection to journalists in the exercise of their professional duties.
Despite this legal protection, the PUDR questions whether the editors were actually given access to the FIR filed against them. Since the physical office in Jammu city has remained shut for years, the purported recoveries raise questions about the veracity of the claims.
The PUDR said, “Over a period of time, Kashmir Times has played a decisive role in chronicling the region's history. The newspaper repeatedly builds its credentials by refusing to be the establishment's voice. Editor Anuradha Bhasin successfully challenged the communication blackout following the abrogation of Article 370 in a landmark case wherein the Supreme Court, in 2020, upheld internet access under Article 19 of the Constitution, subject to the restrictions mandated in the provision. In just the same year, the Srinagar office of the 70-year-old Kashmir Times was sealed on the orders of the Estates Department, and the action was taken without advance notice or legal documentation. In August 2025, Bhasin's book, A Dismantled State, was banned along with 24 other books at the behest of the Lieutenant Governor under Section 98 of the BNS.”
Its statement said that “the timing of the raids and the purported recoveries fits with the wider state pattern of controlling media outlets in Jammu and Kashmir through the use of vague and broad penal provisions such as Section 13 of the UAPA, which provides punishment for unlawful activities, or for that matter the newly introduced Section 152 of the BNS for punishment for acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.”
The PUDR raised three pertinent questions in light of this history. “If, as reported, the FIR registered against Kashmir Times suggests that the media house is guilty of disseminating “terrorist and secessionist ideology”, then it should be clarified by the State how “dissemination” of any event or ideology would be differentiated from mere reportage of it. Such arbitrary logic could cross-contextually apply to all press agencies, damaging all forms of news reporting.”
“If the purported recovery of arms and ammunition from a disused media building is true, then all media outlets and other establishments run similar unknowing risks as buildings can be used as potential dump yards.”
“The SIA’s role in the present case serves as a reminder of the growing executive writ in the UT since 2021 when this specialized agency was created for “speedy and effective investigation of terrorism related cases”, in coordination with the NIA and other central agencies. The SIA can suo moto register FIRs for cases perceived as linked to terrorism, including journalistic activities.”
The lodging of the FIR and purported recoveries made against Kashmir Times are not isolated instances. They are part of an ongoing state narrative against the larger freedom of the press which must be strongly contested, the PUDR said.
Brazen Attack on Freedom of Press: Amnesty International
Amnesty International India has also expressed serious concern over the raids, describing them as yet another brazen attack on freedom of expression and press freedom in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The raid without any official paperwork, following the book ban in August 2025, has intensified concerns that these moves are aimed at constraining critical, independent journalism in the Valley,” the Amnesty said.
The organization stated that the authorities have systematically targeted journalists in the region who have dared to report critically on human rights violations and the situation on the ground.
Amnesty noted that these actions are part of a broader pattern of harassment and intimidation designed to silence independent voices and create a climate of fear among journalists working in the region.
“The intimidation and harassment of journalists must end in J&K. Press freedom is not a threat to the state; it is essential to it. Any probe carried out by the authorities must ensure strict adherence to due process guaranteed under international human rights law and standards,” it further said.
Assault on Media Freedom: PIPFPD
The Pakistan India Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) echoed these concerns, condemning the raids as an assault on media freedom in South Asia. The organization emphasized that the use of anti-terrorism laws against journalists for carrying out their professional duties sets a dangerous precedent and contributes to the shrinking space for independent journalism in the region.
The office that was searched has been non-functional for years, raising serious questions about the intent behind the operation and the credibility of the sensational allegations made thereafter, the PIPFPD said.
“The raid must be understood within the long-term reprisals that Kashmir Times has faced, particularly since the abrogation of Article 370 and the sweeping administrative and political changes that followed.”
It added that as one of the few media institutions that consistently documented ground realities in Jammu and Kashmir, the paper reported on mass detentions under the PSA, the hollowing of elected political authority and the ongoing erosion of democratic rights.
“These efforts to preserve public memory and uphold the public’s right to know made it a target, the PIPFPD said.
The statement said that while the raid conducted by the State Investigation Agency on the Jammu office of Kashmir Times marks yet another attempt to silence one of the last independent newspapers in Jammu and Kashmir, the editorial leadership, including Anuradha Bhasin and Prabodh Jamwal, has remained committed to the principles of secularism, justice and democracy that define Kashmir Times.
It added that Bhasin, a long-standing member and former Chair of the Pakistan India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy, has carried these political commitments into her journalism. “Her work has consistently challenged authoritarianism, defended democratic rights and stood firmly with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, even in the face of state pressure and intimidation.”
PIPFPD called upon international human rights organizations and press freedom bodies to take note of the situation and press for accountability from the Indian authorities.
PIPFPD demanded an immediate disclosure of the legal grounds for the raid, along with a public explanation of the serious allegations that have been made, return of all seized materials and an end to harassment of the newspaper’s editors and staff, protection of press freedom in Jammu and Kashmir as a democratic and constitutional obligation, and safeguards to prevent the misuse of investigative agencies to intimidate independent media.
In a statement issued on the day of the raids, the editors of Kashmir Times stated that they were not officially informed about the raids and recoveries and that the alleged Jammu premises contained only old computers and archival materials of the news outlet. Calling these actions bizarre and baseless, Kashmir Times noted that their reporting, while critical of the government, was not the same as being inimical to the state.
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