The arrest of The Frontier Manipur, English news portal editor-in-chief, Sadokpam Diren, executive editor, Paojel Chaoba and writer M. Joy Luwang under anti-terror laws for an article, Revolutionary journey in a mess, written on January 8, analysing politics in Manipur received condemnation from the Editors Guild of India.
The senior journalists were arrested and detained over 24 hours on Sunday by Singjamei police station in Imphal West district, under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and sedition charges.
In a statement, the guild termed the writer and editors recent arrests under the draconian anti-terror laws charges “as a brazen violation of every constitutional safeguard given for freedom of expression.”
The Editors Guild of India in the statement said it “believes that till the police is not nuanced in fundamental rights and various Supreme Court judgments on the imperative to protect freedom, no media organisation is safe from the irrational use of these laws”, pointing to the administration, this is not the first time the administration has used draconian laws like sedition and UAPA against editors and journalists.”
EGI then recounted that “in the past too, journalists holding opinions contrary to the dominant narrative have been subjected to retaliation by the administration.”
The guilt referring to arrest and incarceration of journalist in Manipur expressed resentment saying journalists in Manipur are targeted and arrested under the draconian laws for doing little more than posting critical comments on Facebook.