The World Association of Newspapers has asked the Indian government to ensure a quick and thorough investigation into the murder of Indian journalist Shivani Bhatnagar, a member of the special investigations team at the Indian Express newspaper.
WAN, which represents more than 15,000 newspapers worldwide, expressed serious concern at the murder and its apparent link to Mrs. Bhatnagar’s reporting activities.
“We respectfully but strongly urge you to ensure that this crime is thoroughly investigated and that those responsible are brought to justice,†WAN said in a letter to Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. “Newspapers are a cornerstone of Indian democracy and we urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that all members of the press are able to carry out their profession free from harassment and attack.â€
Mrs. Bhatnagar was strangled with wire and stabbed repeatedly at her Delhi apartment on 23 January while she was home with her baby son, who was left unharmed.
Two rooms in the home had been ransacked but police stated that robbery did not appear to be a motive, indicating that Mrs Bhatnagar’s journalism activities might have been the reason for the attack. Local news reports said that her killers might have been attempting to recover incriminating documents.
The Paris-based WAN, the global association of the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom world-wide. Its membership includes 57 national newspaper publisher associations, individual newspaper executives in 90 countries, 17 news agencies and seven regional press groups.
