NEW DELHI: As many as 18 media organisations on Wednesday wrote a letter to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud demanding his intervention in cases where journalists are facing action from the government, especially highlighting the recent crackdown of the Delhi police on news website NewsClick.
“Today, a large section of journalists in India finds themselves working under the threat of reprisal. It is imperative that the judiciary confronts power with a fundamental truth that there is a Constitution to which we are all answerable,” a joint letter to the CJI read.
The organisations in question included Digipub News India Foundation, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Club of India, Foundation for Media Professionals, Network of Women in Media, India, Chandigarh Press Club, National Alliance of Journalists, Delhi Union of Journalists, Kerala Union of Working Journalists, Brihanmumbai Union of Journalists, Free Speech Collective, Mumbai, Mumbai Press Club, Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists, Press Association, Guwahati Press Club, Indian Journalists Union (IJU), Kolkata Press Club and Working News Camermen’s Association.
The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had on Tuesday conducted a raid at multiple locations linked to NewsClick in a case lodged under the UAPA. After more than 12 hours of questioning, Prabir Purkayastha, the founder of the website, and Amit Chakravarty, its HR head, were arrested.