Indian Union Rallies for Law to Protect Journalists

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

 

Find the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific

 

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