New Delhi, India: The award-winning photojournalist Masrat Zahra from Indian Occupied Kashmir who was booked by Indian authorities for exposing brutality committed by Indian forces has won Anja Niedringhaus Courage In Photojournalism Award announced by International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF).
The Cyber Police Station Kashmir Zone, Srinagar on April 18 lodged the FIR against Masrat Zahra for allegedly ‘uploading anti-national posts with criminal intention to induce the youth and to promote offences against public tranquility. She in her talk with BBC said that she was (is) a photojournalist and this is her professional duty to expose her area of work (Indian Occupied Kashmir) through her photos. She had been harassed, intimidated, and threatened for dire consequences because she was uploading photos of Kashmiri women faced the wrath of Indian forces.
Arifa Jan suffers frequent panic attacks nearly 2 decades after her husband was gunned down by Indian army in 2000,she can still hear the gunshots and sees her husband’s blood-soaked body when she thinks of him,“There were 18 bullet holes and I still remember how deep they were.” pic.twitter.com/QOw2wHzllU
— Masrat Zahra (@Masratzahra) April 17, 2020
FIR against Masrat was widely condemned by international as well as Indian media forums and bodies including Editors Guild of India, press clubs, Network of Women in Media India and many more.
On June 11, 2020, Masrat through her tweet informed her followers that she had been graced with another international award.
I am incredibly honored to share that I have won the Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award from @IWMF I’m happy that my work has finally been recognized.
After thanking Almighty,I would like to say a big thank to my mentor, @ShowkatNanda for his guidance, love & care pic.twitter.com/ztMcdlpEKO— Masrat Zahra (@Masratzahra) June 11, 2020
