Sankalp Neb, a Journalist from Saharanpur was booked under Epidemic Act 1897 Act for sharing a screenshot of a Twitter post suggesting thatCovid-19 negative reports were shown as positive by the district health officers for the benefit of private hospital. The action has evoked sharp reaction from the journalists and free speech activists in the country.
Indian Journalists Union (IJU), a premier Journalists body of India condemns the FIR registered by Sahranpur Police on the basis of a complaint from CMO, Uttar Pradesh against Sankalp Neb, a local journalist for sharing a screenshot of a Twitter posting in a WhatsApp group. “Booking Journalists for their critical reporting is nothing but violation of media freedom. In this particular case Mr. Neb was just sharing a posting of another person. Interestingly the police did not file FIR or CMO lodged any complaint against the person who tweeted the impugned post, the IJU prees release said. “Registering FIR against Journalists for their critical reports instead of issuing clarifications has become a weapon of harrassment and pressure tactics against journalists in the country” said Geetartha Pathak , President of IJU and former member of Press Council of India and Sabina Inderjit, Secretary General of IJU and Vice President of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). IJU demanded immediate withdrawal of thr FIR registered against Mr. Neb.
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Secretary General
