Guwahati: A group of 15 organisations affiliated with the media have written a letter to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud expressing their concern over the recent raids and arrests of journalists belonging to NewsClick by the Delhi Police.
The organizations have pleaded with the Supreme Court to intervene and put an end to the “increasingly repressive use of investigating agencies against the media”.
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The letter specifically mentions the raids on the homes of 46 journalists, editors, writers, and professionals connected to the online news portal NewsClick.
Also Read: Digipub News India Foundation denounces IT officials’ ‘survey’ at NewsClick and Newslaundry offices
The raids led to the arrest of two persons under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the seizure of mobile phones and computers without ensuring the integrity of their data.
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The organizations have also expressed their concern over the use of sedition and terrorism cases against journalists, and the multiple, sequential and/or frivolous FIRs that are used as an instrument of harassment.
Also Read: Foundation for Media Professionals condemns IT raids in Newslaundry, Newsclick offices
The letter states that “the purpose of addressing this letter to you is not to bypass or circumvent the process and procedure established by law. But when journalists are summoned and their devices seized in the name of investigation, there is an inherent malice in the process that must be checked.”
The organizations have requested the Supreme Court to frame norms to discourage the seizure of journalists’ phones and laptops, evolve guidelines for the interrogation of journalists and for seizures from them, and find ways to ensure the accountability of State agencies and individual officers who are found overstepping the law or willfully misleading courts with vague and open-ended investigations against journalists for their journalistic work.
The organisations who wrote to the Chief Justice include Digipub News India Foundation, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Club of India, New Delhi Foundation for Media, Professionals Network of Women in Media-India, Chandigarh Press Club, National Alliance of Journalists, Delhi Union of Journalists, Kerala Union of Working Journalists, Brihanmumbai Union of Journalists, Free Speech Collective, Mumbai Mumbai Press Club, Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists, Press Association of India and Guwahati Press Club.