Progressive Groups Protest NewsClick Raid in Bangalore, Denounce UAPA

The detention of NewsClick executives and the harassment of the company's staff and consultants were the targets of a protest organized here on Thursday by a number of progressive organizations and the Digipub News India Foundation, which represents online news portals.

The All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ), a group of progressive organizations and individuals called Bahutva Karnataka, the People's Union of Civil Liberties, the All India Students Association, and the Network of Women in Media assembled in the city's Freedom Park.

In the first such demonstration against the NewsClick raids in Bangalore, students of media studies from various universities as well as regular citizens who came forward to show support for the cause yelled slogans against harassing journalists and targeting media organizations.

In a statement denouncing the decision, AILAJ pointed out that the nation's low rating in the press freedom index was due to the persistent attacks on the media.

According to the 2021 World Press Freedom Index, India is ranked 142nd out of 180 nations. This is not surprising given the ongoing attacks on free speech and the press, as well as the growing use of draconian laws like the UAPA against journalists who are carrying out their jobs, according to the progressive lawyers' organization, which also noted the "chilling effect" such laws can have on independent media.

This assault on press freedom, according to AILAJ, "is intended to and will have a chilling effect on journalists and independent media portals that have taken over the role of being a public watchdog, which the Godi media has all but abandoned."

The organization also demanded that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, under which the NewsClick employees who were arrested have been charged, be repealed.

The need to urge the removal of this harsh law is once again highlighted by the continuous use of the UAPA to punish people who disagree with authority and speak the truth to power. In the Bennett Coleman case, Justice Matthew stated, "The constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech is not so much for the benefit of the press as it is for the benefit of the public." AILAJ requests that all members of the legal community stand up and resist this assault on the Constitution.

The attempt to "intimidate" journalists into not performing their duty was denounced by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists.

"This can only be seen as part of the government's effort to coerce and threaten media into giving up their pursuit of breaking news. According to Kerala's leading trade organization for media professionals, this amounts to an infringement on media freedom and a flagrant violation of democratic rights.