Press club leaders urge Biden to raise press freedom concerns with Indian prime minister

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is a statement from Eileen O'Reilly, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, on the state visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington this week.

"The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States comes at a fragile time for India, which is the largest democracy in the world. The National Press Club has grave concerns about the crackdown on independent media and civil society under the Modi government. Too often, we receive reports of journalists being attacked, both online and in-person. These assaults pose a significant danger not only to Indian journalists but also to Indian democracy. The government of India does not do enough to protect journalists from partisan assaults and can sometimes incite the violence through its rhetoric. We hope these issues will be raised by the Biden administration during the upcoming bilateral discussions.

"The National Press Club remains deeply concerned about the arrest and detention of Vivek Raghuvanshi, an Indian reporter who has written for Defense News, an award-winning U.S. based publication, for more than three decades. Vivek has been charged with espionage in an outrageous attack on press freedom. The National Press Club and NPC Journalism Institute urge the Biden administration to seek Vivek's immediate release and press the case for press freedom during Modi's visit.

"In 2022, the National Press Club awarded Indian journalist Rana Ayyub with the John Aubuchon Award for Press Freedom. She was the first Indian journalist to receive this honor — and almost immediately, she came under attack. The government of India can and must do more to show its supporters that this behavior harms India's reputation on the world stage. The Modi government must lead its nation out of this dangerous place and toward the democracy that is an essential part of India."

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the United States and around the world.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged, global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with the skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. The NPCJI is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.

Press Contact: Eileen O'Reilly, 202-662-7517, [email protected]

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SOURCE National Press Club