New Delhi, October 12: International press freedom organisations have condemned the detention of journalists covering protests in Delhi, urging the police to protect media personnel and allow them to carry out their professional duties without interference.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a US-based independent organisation that monitors attacks on journalists worldwide, called on Delhi Police to honour the government’s assurance to the Supreme Court that journalists would not be obstructed while reporting on the protests.
According to CPJ, at least six journalists, including reporters from The Indian Express and Hindustan Times, were temporarily detained during the demonstrations on October 10.
The protests were organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In a statement posted on social media, CPJ urged the police to refrain from targeting journalists and ensure that they could perform their duties freely. The organisation also stressed that India, as the world’s largest democracy, has a particular responsibility to safeguard press freedom and protect journalists reporting on matters of public interest.
RSF reports more detentions
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an international organisation headquartered in Paris, reported a higher number of detentions. It said it had received information that at least 16 journalists had been detained while covering the demonstrations.
The journalists reportedly included representatives from Business Standard, Navbharat Times and Reuters, along with freelance journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta. RSF also reported detentions involving journalists in Ahmedabad and Pune.
“Covering events of public interest is not a crime. It is their job. The police’s actions against the press are unacceptable,” the organisation said.
Images and videos circulating on social media reportedly showed detained journalists displaying their press identification cards while being transported in police buses.
UN expresses concern
The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) also expressed concern over reports of mass detentions in Delhi involving journalists, lawyers and civil society members.
UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan called on Indian authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly and ensure that law enforcement personnel exercised restraint. He also urged the authorities to release anyone who had been arbitrarily detained.
The protests prompted extensive security measures across the capital. Authorities ordered closures at several metro stations, restricted mobile internet services in parts of central Delhi and deployed more than 40,000 personnel from Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces, according to the report.
Police said nearly 4,000 people were detained on Saturday, including former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and student activist Neha Bora.
The detentions continued despite a Supreme Court direction that peaceful, unarmed protesters should not be detained except in accordance with the procedure established by law.
The growing international criticism has renewed questions about press freedom, police accountability and the protection of journalists during public demonstrations in India.
Reader Comments 0