Journalists’ bodies seek President’s intervention over use of ‘draconian laws’ against media persons

On Monday, Purkayastha and Chakravarty, moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court’s refusal to interfere with their arrest and police remand in a case lodged under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

In a memorandum to the President of India, several journalist organisations including @iwpcdelhi, flagged their concerns in the light of the recent raids and seizures involving the media and booking of journalists under draconian laws such as UAPA. pic.twitter.com/wJhx2Era8U

— Indian Women’s Press Corps (@iwpcdelhi) October 16, 2023

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Affecting livelihoods

“Today, our community faces (an) insidious challenge. Even as the majority in our profession face precarious working conditions, the use of draconian laws against journalists has gone up exponentially,” they said.

The journalists said with these draconian laws, the authorities have exercised an unfettered right to seize equipment such as phones, laptops and hard disk implements, which are the source of livelihood for their community.

“We request your intervention as the highest Constitutional authority to ensure that the freedoms in our Constitution are protected which includes the freedom of speech, the freedom to profess occupation and livelihood,” the journalists’ bodies said.

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Solidarity with NewsClick

The letter came days after Delhi Police carried out searches at the premises of several journalists associated with the online news portal NewsClick for allegedly receiving money to spread pro-China propaganda.

On 4 October, prominent journalists’ bodies, including the Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Club of India, and Digipub News India Foundation, had sought the intervention of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud in the matter.

Letter from the media to D.Y. Chandrachud, Chief Justice of India, on the Delhi police raids at the homes of journalists and seizure of devices.

“…ad hoc, sweeping seizures and interrogations surely cannot be considered acceptable in any democratic country.” pic.twitter.com/AY1idO1Oao

— DIGIPUB News India Foundation (@DigipubIndia) October 4, 2023

On 5 October, A protest rally by journalists and social activists was held in Hyderabad, condemning the Delhi Police’s action against news portal NewsClick.

The Indian Journalists’ Union, the Telangana State Union of Working Journalists (TUWJ), the Hyderabad Union of Journalists (HUJ), and several other organisations took out a rally, with black cloth covering their mouths.

About 250 journalists and activists held a protest against The New York Times (NYT) in front of its office on 8th Avenue in New York.

An “investigative story” the NYT published in August claimed that NewsClick had received funding from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The case

According to the FIR, a large amount of funds to the news portal allegedly came in from China to “disrupt the sovereignty of India” and cause disaffection against the country.

It also alleged that Purkayastha conspired with a group — People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS)— to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Police have invoked the stringent anti-terror Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against the two journalists.

About 46 people, including nine women journalists, were questioned on 3 October, the day the Special Cell raided several locations connected to the news website in Delhi and NCR. About 25 journalists and contributors were questioned for a second time on 10 October.

An official said that the gadgets seized from them were sent to the FSL (Forensic Science Lab) for examination and extraction of any content related to the matter.

(With PTI inputs)