IJU condemns harassment of journalist in Assam

Charged with sedition law over content of an editorial

PR

NEW DELHI, December 05 2021:  Indian Journalists Union (IJU), an affiliate of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expresses grave concern for charging with sedition law against Anirban Roy Choudhury, editor of a local news portal Barak Darpan for his editorial on November 28 criticising the arrest of  a veteran advocate and a leader of a local political organization who  raised voice of protest demanding removal of a poster in Assamese text at a petrol station in Meherpur area and pressed for replacing the poster with the Bengali language with the claims that as per The Assam Official Language ( Amendment) Act 1961, Bengali is the official language in Barak Valley.

Dutta Roy had issued an ultimatum as well.

IJU President and s former member of the Press Council of India Geetartha Pathak and  Secretary General Sabina Inderjit in a statement said that journalists has the right to express opinion in editorial and other journalistic contents on any issue. Booking journalists under sedition law for their journalistic works is violation of freedom of press and fundamental constitutional right of freedom of expression. 

IJU leaders also expresses deep concern at the rampant use of national security act  and other sedition laws against activists, political opponents and journalists by the government in spite of supreme court's direction of not to use such draconian laws for mere expression of opinion. IJU demands immediate withdrawal of charged against Anirban Roy Choudhury.