Three national press organisations PCI, DUJ and IWPC condemn wrongful arrest of Kotdwar journo and demand withdrawal of false cases against Sudhanshu Thapliyal
Three national media organisations Press Club of India, Delhi Union of Journalists and India Women Press Corps strongly condemn the wrongful arrest of journalist Sudhanshu Thapliyal in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, in a fabricated case. His persecution by the police is totally condemnable. In a joint statement issued today in New Delhi signed by the president of Press Club of India all the three organisations as above expressed their deep concern that dozens of journalists across the state are being threatened for speaking and writing the truth. Even the fundamental right to freedom of expression, as enshrined in the Constitution, is being curtailed on social media platforms. The actions of the state government, administration, and police force constitute a direct assault on fundamental rights and press freedom.
The Uttarakhand Journalists’ Union has expressed deep solidarity with Sudhanshu Thapliyal, alongside journalists across the state.
The aggrieved journalist stated that he was arrested merely for a four-line post on January
29, in which he stated that 13 days had passed since a young woman lost her life in a road
accident, yet the accused had not been arrested.
Shockingly, the police deemed this simple question an act of defamation. Even more
disturbingly, before taking him into custody, the police seized his mobile phone, denied him
any contact with a lawyer or acquaintances, and unlawfully detained him in lockup
overnight.
Journalists in the state have already submitted a memorandum to the Director General of
Police (DGP), demanding an impartial investigation and strict action against all police officers involved in this unlawful midnight arrest.
The state’s Director General of Police has assured journalists of a high-level investigation
within a week.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand High Court has taken cognizance of the matter
and sought a response from the state government.
The joint statement of three media organisations PCI, DUJ and IWPC said :
We, along with the following national media organizations, firmly believe that no
investigation can be fair under the watch of the present SSP of Pauri Garhwal and all police
personnel of Kotdwar police station. Hence without obtaining the mobile call records of the officers responsible for this arbitrary
detention of the innocent journalist, it is impossible to determine under whose orders the journalist was arrested said the statement of PCI, DUJ and IWPC.
The statement concluded with the strong condemnation emphasising that the anti-media stance of the state government, the use of criminal defamation against journalists demand concrete measures to ensure the safety and protection of journalists in Uttarakhand including withdrawal of the false cases registered against Sudhanshu Thapliyal is the need of the hour and an inevitability.
