Sightline urges India to provide information on arrested reporter

It has been almost a year since the Indian government arrested Vivek Raghuvanshi, a longtime freelancer journalist with Defense News, with officials having declined to provide information about his safety, legal representation and allegations.

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cracked down on the freedom of the press for several years, and reporters are in danger of “physical attacks, mob violence, and violent demonstrations,” according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. CPJ recently released a warning to journalists in India amid Modi’s reelection campaign.

“The evolving nature of these press-related attacks necessitates heightened attention and proactive measures to safeguard journalistic integrity and ensure the free flow of information, particularly in politically charged environments,” the organization wrote in March.

The Indian Express reported a year ago that India’s Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Raghuvanshi and accused him of espionage. The newspaper quoted a CBI spokesperson, who said the bureau had conducted multiple searches.

“We again call for the immediate release of freelance reporter Vivek Raghuvanshi following his arrest in India in May 2023,” said Cary O’Reilly, senior managing editor for emerging markets at Sightline Media Group. “We have repeatedly asked for information on his case and have heard nothing. The government of India must provide the public with information about Vivek’s case.”

“In our long relationship with Vivek, we have always found him to be a person of deep integrity, trusted by his colleagues and by his readers in the defense industry,” O’Reilly added. “One year later, Sightline has still seen no evidence to substantiate these charges.”

Sightline Media Group is an independent, for-profit U.S. media company with correspondents around the world. It is not affiliated with the U.S. government.

印度政府逮捕了长期为《防务新闻》撰稿的自由记者维韦克·拉古万什，至今已近一年，但官方一直拒绝提供有关他的安全、法律代表和指控的信息。

据保护记者委员会（CPJ）称，印度总理纳伦德拉·莫迪领导的政府多年来一直在打压新闻自由，记者面临着“人身攻击、暴民暴力和暴力示威”的危险。在莫迪竞选连任之际，CPJ近期向印度记者发出警告。

该组织在 3 月份写道：“这些与新闻界有关的攻击的性质不断变化，因此需要提高关注度并采取积极措施来维护新闻诚信，确保信息的自由流动，尤其是在政治氛围浓厚的环境中。”

《印度快报》一年前报道称，印度中央调查局逮捕了拉古万什，并指控他从事间谍活动。该报援引中央调查局发言人的话说，该局进行了多次搜查。

“我们再次呼吁立即释放自由记者维韦克·拉古万什，他于2023年5月在印度被捕，”Sightline Media Group新兴市场高级执行主编凯瑞·奥莱利表示。“我们多次询问有关此案的信息，但始终没有得到任何回应。印度政府必须向公众提供有关维韦克案件的信息。”

奥莱利补充道：“在我们与维韦克的长期交往中，我们一直认为他是一位正直诚信的人，深受国防工业界的同事和读者的信赖。一年过去了，《视线》杂志仍然没有看到任何证据来证实这些指控。”

Sightline Media Group是一家独立的美国营利性媒体公司，在全球各地设有记者站。该公司与美国政府没有任何关联。