Dangerous pursuit: In India, journalists who cover corruption may pay with their lives

Since 1992, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has been keeping a record of atrocities committed against journalists in India. During this time CPJ has recorded 27 cases of journalists murdered in direct retaliation for their work. More than half of those killed reported regularly on corruption, crime and politics – three beats often closely intertwined. This has created a challenging environment for small-town journalists and those reporting on corruption, who are often more vulnerable to attack and whose legitimacy is questioned when they are threatened or killed. Small-town journalists (even if a handful work for big media) often find themselves alone and abandoned when trouble strikes. In the three case studies this report focuses on – and in CPJ’s list of 27 press murders – it is hard to find a single reporter who was working for an English outlet of a large corporate media house in a big city. An overwhelmed justice system, lack of media solidarity and a culture of impunity only add to the problems, leaving the country’s press vulnerable to threats and attacks. CPJ has found that while it is important for governments to ensure that journalists can safely carry out their work, media organisations play an essential role too, especially in protecting freelancers and local journalists...