Laws like Sedition are increasingly being used to impede free press: NBA

The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has strongly condemned the registration of FIRs against senior editors and journalists over the coverage of the farmers’ protest and the ensuing violence that took place in the National Capital on January 26, 2021.

In a statement issued, NBA said that it was of the opinion that both the print and electronic media have been covering the farmers’ protests on the outskirts of Delhi in a fair, balanced and objective manner. “To construe the reporting on one incident as an intent on the part of the journalists to incite violence or as an offence is like shooting the messenger,” it added.

Continuing further, the NBA statement said, “Also worrisome are the provisions under which the FIRs have been filed – ranging from Sedition, to harming national integrity and promoting communal disharmony. Weaponising archaic laws such as Sedition to stifle journalists negates the founding principles of our democracy that recognises the rights of news media to report without fear or favour. Laws such as Sedition are also increasingly being used to impede the functioning of a free press. The targeting of journalists is an attack on press freedom and severely impairs the media’s ability to perform its journalistic duties as an independent watchdog of our democracy.”

“While individual complainants are entitled to their grievances, the State, which understands the critical role of the media and the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution, should ensure that the cases filed by the police against the senior editors and journalists are withdrawn,” NBA urged.

NBA demands the quashing of the FIRs allowing the journalists to perform their professional journalistic duties without fear.

Earlier, the Editors Guild of India, too, had condemned the intimidating manner in which UP and MP police had registered FIRs against senior journalists, for reporting on farmers’ protests in Delhi on January 26. In a statement issued, the Editors Guild of India had said that it found these FIRs as “an attempt to intimidate, harass, and stifle free media”. The Guild held a meeting at the Press Club in Delhi on January 30, 2021 to protest against sedition and other criminal charges against the senior journalists.