Press Club of India Seeks President’s Intervention for Protection of ‘Press Freedom’
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 17th Oct. Eight media organizations and a lawyers’ union have collectively written a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, appealing for her intervention in safeguarding media freedom and the right to livelihood.
They argue that the use of oppressive laws against journalists has significantly increased.
The letter highlights that these laws grant authorities the unrestricted power to seize essential equipment such as phones, laptops, and hard disks, which are crucial for the livelihood of media professionals.
Additionally, these laws do not provide provisions for bail, resulting in prolonged incarceration.
Although the letter does not explicitly mention any specific incidents, it is written in response to the recent arrest of Prabir Purakayastha, the founder-editor of NewsClick, and Amit Chakrabarty, the HR Head, under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act).
Furthermore, the equipment of 44 other journalists, consultants, and non-journalist staff was seized, with allegations of the portal being involved in Chinese propaganda through foreign funding.
The letter has been signed by various organizations, including the Press Club of India, Press Association, Indian Women Press Corps, Delhi Union of Journalists, Kerala Union of Working Journalists, Digipub, Foreign Correspondent Club, Veteran Journalist Group, and All India Lawyers Union.
The letter emphasizes that while the country has made significant progress in the past 75 years, the independent media is currently facing an unprecedented situation.
It warns against a return to a dark period when the Fourth Estate was suppressed, which would be detrimental to Indian democracy.
The letter argues that the media must remain free for democracy to thrive and progress, as it plays a vital role in voicing the concerns of diverse citizens.
Comments are closed.