Akhtar was previously threatened online after reporting on marginalized communities

Location: India, New Delhi
Date: August 31, 2023

The Coalition For Women In Journalism strongly condemns the recent attack on journalist Khushboo Akhtar's family home in New Delhi. Akhtar suspects the arson was a result of her journalism work, which focuses on Muslims and other oppressed communities. We urge the police to swiftly investigate, identify, and charge the arsonists responsible for this heinous act.

On August 30, Khushboo Akhtar's family home in New Delhi was set on fire, leading to extensive damage.

Akhtar, who has been vocal about receiving threats for her journalism work, believes this attack was a deliberate attempt to silence her. 

"I often receive rape threats and other threats through Facebook comments and on WhatsApp. But we would take it as something normal these days,” says Akhtar. “But setting someone’s house on fire is not normal."

The journalist strongly suspects foul play after discovering that her books, religious scriptures, including her Quran, and other belongings had been deliberately pulled out and set alight. 

Akhtar, an independent Muslim journalist, is known for reporting on her YouTube channel Pal Pal News, which has 2.17 million subscribers. 

“Most of the news stories covered by Pal Pal News concern the marginalized. Especially Muslims receive a large number of hate-filled comments and abuses. I cannot recall one story that wasn’t targeted by the right-wing and hate trolls,” she explains.

Following the attack, Akhtar filed a complaint with the Sultanpuri police station. The case has been registered under Section 436 of the Indian Penal Code. No suspects or accused individuals have been named at this time.

Akhtar claims that while she was at the police station filing the complaint, officers went to her home and tried to coerce her brother Nadeem into changing his statement. They demanded that he remove any mention of the burning of the Quran.

“Whoever has done that has a problem with my religion, my holy scriptures, and as well as my journalism work, which is pro-people,” says Akhtar. “This is the cost you pay for unveiling the truth.”

Akhtar and her family were not present in the house at the time of the fire, as they relocated to another residence a year ago. However, they frequently visited their old house and maintained a connection with their neighbors. The journalist has ruled out the possibility of a short circuit, as her family had disconnected the power supply to prevent accidents.

The escalation of threats and online trolling against Khushboo Akhtar has now resulted in the destruction of her family home. While thankfully no one was harmed in the fire, this alarming increase in attacks against her is deeply concerning. It is important to note that gendered online violence against women journalists has been on the rise in recent years. A 2020 study revealed that 20% of women journalists surveyed had experienced physical abuse and attacks linked to online violence.

This incident is not an isolated case. CFWIJ has documented numerous instances where online threats have translated into real-world attacks on women journalists. In India, award-winning journalist Swati Chaturvedi's safety is at risk after receiving online death and rape threats, culminating in the disturbing act of a dead cat being left on her doorstep. Similarly, in Slovakia, Monika Tódová faced an online smear campaign by a notorious disinformation blogger who then proceeded to stalk her, taking and sharing pictures of her and her license plates. Tragically, journalists Daphne Caruana Galicia and Gauri Lankesh were subjected to horrific online gendered attacks before their brutal murders.

Online threats against women journalists must be taken seriously. The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands united with Khushboo Akhtar, strongly condemning the violence she has endured. We call on the authorities to thoroughly investigate this fire, identify the culprits, and ensure the safety and protection of journalists who shed light on important social issues.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.