THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) and Trivandrum Press Club strongly condemned the police action taken against journalists, including those from Janam TV, for reporting news.
The KUWJ and Trivandrum Press Club have demanded the withdrawal of notices issued by the police to three journalists to appear for questioning regarding their news reporting. The unions expressed their discontent over the situation where journalists reporting on the Mahila Morcha protest at the Chief of Police’s official residence in Thiruvananthapuram were summoned for questioning.
Police action was taken against journalists reporting the Mahila Morcha’s protest march to the DGP’s official residence in Thiruvananthapuram. Notices were issued to Janam TV reporter Reshmi Karthika, cameraman Nithin Raj, and Janmabhumi photographer Anil Gopi, instructing them to appear for questioning on December 29th at 11 am at the Museum Police station in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Museum Police had registered a case under IPC 143, 147, 332, 353, 149, 447, and 120 B, charging serious offenses including conspiracy, unlawful assembly, trespassing, obstructing police duty, and attempting to incite a riot.
In their protest notice, the Trivandrum Press Club highlighted that this action represents a form of dictatorship by the state government, suppressing news by attacking or arresting journalists. They emphasized a journalist’s duty to report wherever an incident occurs. This is unfair for a democratic state.
The KUWJ strongly emphasized that the action against the journalists aims to conceal the police department’s inability to manage the protest. On December 16, citing the police’s failure to investigate the Vandiperiyar rape case, BJP’s Mahila Morcha activists staged a protest at DGP Sheikh Darvesh Sahib’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram. The police department is encroaching on media freedom and misusing police power is unjust in a democratic country.
Both the KUWJ and Trivandrum Press Club are demanding the withdrawal of the case against journalists. They are urging the Kerala state government to take action regarding the issue of police exerting control over journalists.
President MV Vineetha and General Secretary Kiran Babu represent KUWJ, while President M Radhakrishanan and K N Sanu represent Trivandrum Press Club in their contempt notice against the police action.
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