The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) extends its support to
its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of India – NUJ(I) - in its
campaign seeking a national law to protect journalists.
On June 25, the NUJ(I) organised a series of
demonstrations across India, to highlight the rising trend of violence against
journalists and demand a comprehensive law to deal with the range of hazards faced
by media practitioners. All state-level units of the NUJ(I) presented memoranda
to the relevant governmental authorities to focus attention on this demand.
The national leadership
of the NUJ(I) and elected office-bears of the Delhi unit attended the
demonstration at a central location in the national capital. Among those
present were the secretary-general of the NUJ(I), Ras Bihari, former president
Nand Kishore Trikha and senior journalist and union activist, Rajendra Prabhu,
as well as senior representatives from the national and local leadership.
A delegation of the
NUJ (I) later presented a memorandum to the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan
Singh. The document recorded over 190 attacks on journalists in the recent past
and argued the case for comprehensive security legislation.
In addition,
increasing job insecurity, represented by recent staff retrenchments in major
TV channels, was highlighted by the demonstrators. The NUJ(I) has also made the
case for the law empowering the Press Council of India to be amended to include
the entire media industry within its mandate.
“Despite its long
tradition of legislation and policy which protects media freedoms and
journalists’ rights, India has in recent years been hazardous territory for
media practitioners”.
“We support the
demands made by our affiliate union in India and urge these discussions to be raised
more broadly”, said the IFJ Asia-Pacific.
“We urge the
authorities at both the national and state levels, to respond to the concerns
raised by the journalists of India”.
For
further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0950
The IFJ
represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries
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