The press, often hailed as the sentinel of truth and the fourth estate of democracy, holds the sacrosanct duty of disseminating information and ensuring public accountability. However, there have been recurrent instances where those vested with authority, in an attempt to shield their actions from public scrutiny, have sought to stifle or suppress the voice of the media. Journalists have long faced perilous threats, including abduction and unlawful detention, as retribution for voicing criticism against political regimes or religious ideologies. They have been persecuted under the guise of offending individuals in positions of authority, relentlessly pursued for the publication of contentious images, and brutally assassinated for no reason other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Filmmaker Srijit Mukherji’s latest cinematic release, Tekka, boldly tackles the issue of silencing journalists to cover up criminal activities. Leading the charge is Dev Adhikari as Iqlakh Alam, a man pushed to the brink of sanity. Out of work and drowning in desperation, Iqlakh pulls off a kidnapping to demand a simple promise—his old job back—but only if it comes straight from the company boss’ lips. But just as you settle into this hostage plot, the film pulls a reverse Uno card—enter Ira (Swastika Mukherjee), the mother of the kidnapped girl, who holds Iqlakh’s son hostage in a twisted game of tit-for-tat. Maya Khastogir (Rukmini Maitra), the sharp and stoic negotiator, steps in as the face of the law, keeping her cool as tensions rise. Brishti (Sreeja Dutta) is a plucky reporter hellbent on proving her mettle to her no-nonsense boss (Sujan Mukherjee). With her trusty cameraperson Tintin (Aryann Bhowmik) in tow, Brishti live-streams the unfolding drama.

Tekka takes jabs at the growing chasm between classes, political chicanery and communal strife plaguing India today. And just when you think things couldn’t get more twisted, Paran Bandyopadhyay steals the show with a cheeky cameo as Anubrata Adhikari, a corrupt industrialist (the owner of Iqlakh’s former company) with political ambitions and dirty secrets. Turns out, a journalist (Kaushik Sen) had stumbled upon his drug racket—and, well, let’s just say the reporter didn’t live to tell the tale. As the layers of this hostage situation unravel, the demand for justice comes roaring to the forefront.

Press freedom—while enshrined in many constitutions and international covenants—remains under perpetual siege in numerous parts of the world. Journalists, committed to exposing the truth, frequently find themselves in perilous situations, facing the grim realities of unlawful arrests, persecution, intimidation and extrajudicial killings. Efforts to curtail the freedom of the press not only undermine the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression but also strike at the very heart of democratic governance, eroding the checks and balances necessary for the preservation of liberty and justice. The silencing of media discourse by those in power constitutes a grave violation of the foundational principles upon which democracies are built. This encroachment serves to limit public access to unbiased information, impeding informed decision-making and enabling the entrenchment of authoritarian practices. It is, therefore, imperative that the autonomy of the press remains inviolate to safeguard the democratic ethos and ensure that the populace remains vigilant and empowered.

Global landscape

Across the globe, the erosion of press freedom is becoming increasingly conspicuous. In authoritarian regimes, the press is often the first casualty in the struggle for absolute power, with journalists subjected to arbitrary detention, surveillance, censorship and violence. Governments that purport to uphold democratic values have also resorted to sophisticated mechanisms to silence dissenting voices in the media, weaponising laws to criminalise reporting that reveals inconvenient truths.

In conflict zones, journalists risk becoming collateral damage, falling prey to targeted assassinations or fatal accidents. They have been hunted down for publishing politically sensitive images, punished for their investigative work, or killed simply for being in proximity to volatile events. This growing culture of impunity emboldens perpetrators, rendering journalism one of the most dangerous professions in the modern world.

Press freedom in India

In India, which prides itself on being the world’s largest democracy, press freedom has witnessed a concerning decline in recent years. While the Constitution of India guarantees the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a), these rights are increasingly curtailed by various state and non-state actors. The decline is evident in India’s fall in global press freedom rankings, accompanied by a rise in the harassment, arrest and killing of journalists.

According to the latest World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF or Reporters sans Frontières), India’s score dropped from 36.62 to 31.28 over the past year, reflecting a decline in the level of freedom experienced by journalists across 180 jurisdictions. However, India’s global rank saw a marginal improvement, rising from 161 in 2023 to 159 in 2024. The Indian government has consistently dismissed such international rankings, labelling them as biassed propaganda.

At the top of the RSF rankings sit Norway and Denmark, renowned for their unwavering commitment to press freedom, while Eritrea and Syria occupy the bottom rungs, signalling severe repression. The Index assesses press freedom across five categories: political context, legal framework, economic environment, sociocultural dynamics and security. Notably, India’s scores declined in every category except security, underscoring the complex challenges facing the country’s media landscape.

In recent years, several Indian journalists have been incarcerated for reporting on politically sensitive issues. Many have faced detention, accused of spreading misinformation or inciting public unrest. One could take the example of Siddique Kappan, who was arrested in October 2020 while he was on his way to Hathras (Uttar Pradesh) to report on the gangrape of a 19-year-old Dalit girl. The Supreme Court of India granted him bail in 2022, stating, “Every person has freedom of expression”. Unlawful arrests of journalists covering civil unrest highlight the severe constraints imposed on press freedom. In such areas, curbs on internet access and government surveillance further restrict the flow of information, turning them into virtual black holes for journalistic inquiry.

The assassination of journalists remains a troubling phenomenon in India. High-profile cases, such as the killings of Gauri Lankesh and Shujaat Bukhari, underline the lethal dangers of investigative journalism. While these murders sent shockwaves through civil society, the ensuing investigations have been marred by delays and lapses, perpetuating a climate of impunity.