After Phone Gag, Internet Service Providers ordered to ‘SHUT’ Services in Kashmir

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have asked the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to stop Internet services in Kashmir “immediately”, Kashmir Post has learnt.
Several service providers said that got phone calls from the authorities, directing them to suspend the Internet services, especially to newspapers and other media houses.

Only last night, the authorities blocked for the second time in a month the mobile phone services, except the state-owned BSNL post-paid phones.
Earlier on the night of July 15, the authorities raided the printing presses of various newspaper, and seized over 50, 000 printed copies.
Editors and owners had reacted sharply to the media gag, and even staged a sit-in against the government move.

Reporters Without Borders, an organization working for press freedom, had condemned the media blackout, which analysts said was aimed at preventing the media from reporting about the atrocities on civilians by the government forces.