AMWJU, ECM condemn detention of editor by police
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, January 04 2023:
Sanaleibak daily editor Hemantakumar Ningomba was picked up from home and detained by police for some hours on Wednesday on the charge of sharing his views during a discussion programme on a local television news network regarding the on-going drive to destroy poppy plantations.
As per report received here, a team of Irilbung police station picked up Hemantakumar Ningomba from his Khongman residence early Wednesday morning and detained him at Irilbung police station.
He was released later and no FIR was registered against him.
Though Hemantakumar has been released unconditionally, All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) and Editors' Guild Manipur (EGM) strongly condemned the manner in which a team of Irilbung police station picked up Hemantakumar from his residence.
In connection with detention of the editor, the scribes' body convened an emergency meet at Manipur Press Club and condemned the police action.
After the meeting, a joint press statement signed by AMWJU president Wangkhemcha Shamjai and Editors' Guild Manipur president Khogendro Khomdram said that Hemantakumar is a respected editor and is not an absconder.
However, the manner in which Hemantakumar was picked up from his residence for his statement made in a panel discussion programme telecast by a local TV channel affects his dignity and stature in the society.
The police officer concerned could have simply invited him for a discussion during the office hours as no case has been registered against him and he was set free after some hours.
The meeting also resolved to place before the state government for ensuring such unsavoury incidents do not recur in future.
If such avoidable incidents happen again, the journalist fraternity will not take it lying down and all efforts to safeguard the journalists of the state will be taken up, including taking legal recourse, the joint statement added.
Hemanta's detention for questioning is not the first such case against the media fraternity in Manipur as in January, 2021, the police released the two journalists, who were detained over an article published in a news portal.
The editor-in-chief of the Imphal-based portal and its executive editor were arrested and charged under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Indian Penal Code (IPC) in connection with an article published in their web portal.
The two were released after submitting an 'apology letter' to the authorities.
Their release was preceded by a meeting between chief minister N Biren and representatives from the Editors Guild of Manipur (EGM) and All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) on the matter.
Notably, the Editor's Guild of India had termed the cases registered against the editors as a threat to free expression and democracy and demanded for immediate release of the duo.
Interestingly, posers were raised by the Reporters With out Borders (RSF) over instances of detention of journalists in Manipur.
In March, 2021 the RSF said it is zooming in on Manipur, "where press freedom violations are on the rise and where journalists are increasingly being persecuted by the local government, parliament and judiciary".
The RSF made the statement after a freelance reporter, who often covers debates in Manipur's Legislative Assembly in Imphal, was prevented from entering the press gallery during an Assembly session held in February, 2021, over a Facebook post, sharing an article published by a local news website.
The Paris-based watchdog called on the local authorities to stop trying to "intimidate reporters".
In a press release in De -cember, 2021, RSF defended another journalist after a video presenter, who had been held for two months, was freed but continued to be the target of constant judicial harassment.
He was arrested multiple times since 2018, for criticising the chief minister and the Prime Minister.
"Even talking about press freedom is becoming prob lematic," RSF had said.
"Manipur's state government thereby became the first in India to take advantage of a new federal code of conduct for online content that gives local officials extensive powers to restrict press freedom.
After a national outcry, Manipur's authorities backed down and withdrew their threat of prosecution," it added.
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