US On Kashmiri Journalist Stopped At Delhi Airport
Washington:
A US State Department official is aware of reports that Pulitzer Prize-winning Kashmiri journalist Sanna Irshad Mattoo is allegedly denied entry to the country, a State Department official said.
On Tuesday, Sanna Mattoo said she was stopped at IGI airport in Delhi to fly to the US to receive the prestigious award.
“We are aware of reports of Ms. Mattoo being prevented from traveling to the US and are monitoring these developments closely,” Deputy State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at his daily press briefing. .
“We are committed to supporting press freedom. And as the minister noted, a shared commitment to democratic values, including respect for the independence of the press, is the cornerstone of the US-India relationship,” he said.
“But I don’t have any other specifics to provide… we’re watching this closely,” Patel replied to the question.
Mattoo, a freelance photojournalist, is part of the Reuters team that won the Pulitzer Prize for outstanding photography for covering the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
In a statement, the Committee to Protect Journalists urged Indian officials to let Mattoo travel to the US to attend the Pulitzer Prize ceremony.
“There is no reason why Kashmiri journalist Sanna Irshad Mattoo, who has all the right travel documents and has won the Pulitzer – one of the most prestigious journalism awards – should be prevented from going abroad, ” said Beh Lih Yi, CPJ Asia program coordinator, in Frankfurt, Germany.
“This decision is arbitrary and excessive. The Indian authorities must immediately end all forms of harassment and intimidation against journalists covering the situation in Kashmir,” Beh said.