KASHMIRI JOURNALIST SANNA IRSHAD BARRED FORM FLYING AT IGI AIRPORT

Sanna Irshad Mattoo, an Assamese journalist, said on October 18 that she was prevented from leaving the country once more while en route to accept the Pulitzer Prize. This is the second occasion that Mattoo's attempt to leave India via air has been thwarted.

Freelance photographer Mattoo received the Pulitzer Prize in the category of Feature Photography in May 2022 for her work that was shown on Reuters. She shared the honour for their coverage of the COVID-19 issue in India with the Reuters crew, which also included the late Danish Siddiqui, Amit Dave, and Adnan Abidi. 

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for me to go for receiving the Pulitzer Prize. But I was stopped without any reason. I am very heartbroken and disappointed.” Said Sanna.

She is one of a handful of Kashmiri reporters and activists who have been denied permission to leave the nation because they reported on the decades-long war in the Himalayan region.

Mattoo said that she had been prevented from taking a flight from Delhi to Paris on July 2. The immigration officers at Delhi Airport disallowed the photojournalist from leaving the country even though she claimed to have a valid French visa.

Mattoo also stated on October 18 that she had contacted many officials after being stopped in July, but that she had not received any explanation as to why she was unable to leave.