In a crackdown on independent media, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police raided the offices and residences of several journalists and employees associated with Newsclick, a progressive online news portal, on Tuesday. The police arrested Newsclick’s founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha and its administrative officer Amit Chakraborty, who is physically challenged, under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
According to a press statement issued by Newsclick, the police accused the portal of carrying Chinese propaganda on its website, without providing any evidence or details of the charges. The police also seized electronic devices from the premises and homes of Newsclick staff, without following due process or giving copies of the data. Newsclick’s office was sealed, preventing it from continuing its reporting.
Newsclick condemned the actions of the government as an attack on journalistic independence and freedom of expression. It said that it has been targeted by various agencies of the government since 2021, and has faced raids by the Enforcement Directorate, the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police and the Income Tax Department. It said that it has cooperated with all the investigations and has nothing to hide.
Newsclick is known for its critical coverage of various issues such as the farmers’ protests, the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic crisis, the Kashmir conflict, and the human rights violations in India. It has also featured interviews with prominent personalities such as Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha, and former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi.
The Press Club of India has raised concerns about the state of press freedom in India, stating that guerrillas pose a significant challenge to the integrity of journalism. This concern is reinforced by the World Press Freedom Index, which indicates a decline in emergency press activities in India, leading to the country’s ranking as the lowest among the 20 nations included in the index. Consequently, press freedom in India is progressively weakening.
The arrest of Newsclick journalists under UAPA has sparked outrage among civil society groups, media organisations, and opposition parties. They have demanded their immediate release and an end to the harassment of independent media. They have also called for the repeal of UAPA, which they say is a tool to suppress dissent and criminalise dissenters.
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