Mon 15 June 2020:
At least 55 journalists faced arrest, physical assaults, alleged destruction of properties and threats for reporting on COVID-19 or exercising freedom of opinion and expression during India’s lockdown from 25 March to 31 May 2020, The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) said in its report.
“India has become the riskiest place for the journalists in the world. It did not take a long time for the State and political activists to allege the journalists from acting prejudicial to maintenance of harmony to prejudicial to prejudicial to the national integrity, sovereignty and security of India.” Suhas Chakma, Director of the RRAG said.
The highest number of attacks in the media persons was reported from Uttar Pradesh (11 journalists), followed by Jammu & Kashmir (6 journalists) and Himachal Pradesh (5 journalists).
India may use train carriages for virus beds
India’s home minister has offered 500 railway carriages for use as makeshift coronavirus hospital wards as the capital New Delhi struggles to contain a spike in cases.
Delhi has about 9,000 beds dedicated to COVID-19 patients among public and private hospitals, but a state government panel of experts has said that Delhi will need at least 15,000 beds by the end of June.
India’s health ministry reported a jump of more than 11,000 new coronavirus infections nationwide for a third consecutive day, taking the total caseload to more than 332,000, including 9,520 deaths.
Coronavirus cases surge in Pakistan
Pakistan saw an exponential rise in cases of the coronavirus last week, with the country’s planning minister predicting that the South Asian nation could see more than 1.2 million cases by the end of July if citizens do not abide by the government’s advice on social distancing and hygiene.
Last week, Pakistan saw cases of the coronavirus rise by 39 percent, from 103,671 to 144,478, according to government data.
Deaths rose by 31.4 percent, to 2,787.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
