Heavy-handedness by UP authorities against media disturbing, says Editors Guild

Editors Guild of India is deeply disturbed by the continuing trend of heavy-handedness by the state authorities in Uttar Pradesh with respect to journalists and media. pic.twitter.com/p35AW0vLjN

— Editors Guild of India (@IndEditorsGuild) July 12, 2021

“EGI finds this incident highly condemnable and actionable. This incident has come against the backdrop of increased persecution of journalists in the state of UP, as the administration has punished, penalized, and incarcerated journalists in an effort to intimidate them from freely reporting on crimes, state excesses, and the management of the pandemic,” the body said in a statement.

It also mentioned Siddique Kappan, the journalist who was arrested while reporting on the rape and murder of a Dalit woman in Hathras in October 2020. “He (Kappan) still remains in jail under the draconian UAPA, in spite of several appeals by the family and the civil society to afford him a fair trial and treatment,” the statement said.

The journalist’s body also said that even though CDO subsequently offered apology to Patel, the attitude of heavy-handedness by the administration is hurting the democratic rights of the media, which becomes all the more crucial given that the state goes into polls next year.

In the statement, the body demanded strict action against the official and said that concrete steps be must be taken to improve the environment for independent journalism in Uttar Pradesh.