NEWS CENTER – The incident of three female journalists being accused of sexual harassment while covering protests in the Indian capital has brought back the issue of harassment and gender-based violence in the country, especially in public places and while women are performing their professional duties.

Three female journalists accused elements of the Delhi police of sexual harassment while covering protests witnessed in the Jantar Mantar area of the capital, New Delhi, while the police referred the complaints submitted to the Crimes Branch to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

The incident occurred during a demonstration in which students participated in protest against what is known as the intensive special review of the elections, and to demand the resignation of the head of the Election Commission. During their coverage of the protests, the journalists said they were subjected to physical harassment by members of the police while the forces were dealing with the protesters.

According to the complaints and reports related to the incident, an independent journalist stated that an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) touched and physically harassed her during the process of arresting protesters.

Later, two other journalists filed similar complaints, accusing members of the police of harassing them while they were covering the protests.

These accusations come amid criticism from journalists and media organizations of the police's handling of the press during the protests, especially when journalists try to document the arrests of protesters or cover the confrontations between protesters and security forces.

Following the incident, dozens of journalists gathered yesterday evening, Saturday, 3 October, in front of the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi, demanding that the authorities register a preliminary information report and open a formal criminal investigation regarding the accusations directed at members of the police.

The journalistic move came against the backdrop of demands to hold those responsible for the incident accountable and ensure the protection of journalists while performing their work at protest sites and public gatherings.

The incident sparked reactions from opposition political forces, as it came in the context of protests witnessed in India during the recent period, amid previous complaints about the police's handling of participants in them. According to reports related to the protests, thousands of youth were detained and dozens of people were arrested, and protesters filed complaints related to the use of force, harassment, and ill-treatment during the operations of dispersing protests or arresting participants.

The results of these previous complaints have not yet been fully clarified, nor whether they have turned into lawsuits or led to legal measures against members of the police.