At least six journalists, including from Indian Express and Hindustan Times, were temporarily detained by Delhi Police while covering New Delhi protests, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES – CPJ
Press freedom group urges police to honour the government’s assurance to the Supreme Court that reporters will not be obstructed
New Delhi, October 12, 2026: At least six journalists were temporarily detained by Delhi Police while covering the second day of protests in New Delhi, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has reported.
CPJ Chief Executive Officer Jodie Ginsberg said the journalists included reporters from mainstream news organisations such as The Indian Express and Hindustan Times.
CPJ’s demands
CPJ said it echoes demands from local organisations for the protection of journalists. It called on Delhi Police to honour the government’s assurance to the Supreme Court that journalists will not be prevented from carrying out their work.
Ginsberg said India, as the world’s largest democracy, has a special responsibility to uphold press freedom and protect journalists’ constitutional right to report freely and without interference.
Background: protests over the Chief Election Commissioner
CPJ’s statement did not say what the protests were about. Recent reporting points to a series of demonstrations in the capital this month, although it is not confirmed which round CPJ was referring to.
- The demand: Protesters have gathered at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the mass deletion of voters.
- October 2: Delhi Police detained hundreds of protesters, including AAP leaders and student activists, despite a ban on the gathering. Permission had been denied a day earlier. The protest was announced by AISA president Neha Bora, Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha. Reported detention figures range from more than 500 to more than 700.
- October 3: Police detained around 200 more protesters on the second consecutive day. Three women journalists complained of manhandling and sexual misconduct by police during their detention. Police said Section 163 of the BNSS was in force in the New Delhi area, and the complaints were transferred to the Crime Branch.
- Press Club reaction: The Press Club of India criticised Delhi Police over the treatment of journalists at the protests and urged police to let them work without fear.
- October 5: Police detained several journalists and protesters outside Parliament Street police station, where they were demanding an FIR over the allegations. Detainees alleged they were assaulted at Delhi Cantt police station, and police denied the allegations.
- October 10 call: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder, Abhijeet Dipke, called for a march to Jantar Mantar on October 10 if the Chief Election Commissioner did not step down. More than 20,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across Delhi ahead of that protest.
Source: Based on a LinkedIn post by Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, with background from reports by ThePrint, IANS, Siasat, NewsBytes, UNI and Deccan Herald. The source did not say how long the journalists were held, whether they have been released, or include a response from Delhi Police.
