“This [development] A few days later, police filed UAPA charges against some Delhi-based lawyers who had visited Tripura as part of an independent fact-finding commission into the communal violence. One of the journalists, Shyam Meera Singh has alleged that he has been booked under UAPA for tweeting only ‘Tripura is burning’. This is an extremely disturbing trend where such stringent laws, where the process of investigation and bail applications are extremely stringent and coercive, are being used only for reporting and protesting communal violence,” the Editors Guild said. said in a press statement.
The Editors Guild of India is deeply shocked by the action of Tripura Police to book 102 people, including journalists, under the Forced Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, for reporting and writing on the recent communal violence in the state. pic.twitter.com/bkDssiqOXK
— Editors Guild of India (@IndEditorsGuild) November 7, 2021
It alleged that the move was “an attempt by the state government to divert attention from its failure to control the majority violence”.
The Guild demanded that there should be an independent and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the riots rather than “punishing journalists and civil society activists”. It also reiterated its demand for the Supreme Court to take cognizance of stringent laws like UAPA, which “are used unreasonably against freedom of expression”. It also asked the top court to issue guidelines on stringent laws under which journalists can be charged so as not to misuse the legal machinery to “suppress freedom”.
Tripura Police has invoked UAPA against 102 social media handles and also asked them to be blocked for spreading “objectionable news/statements” about the recent clashes and alleged attacks on mosques in the state.
The police also sought information from Twitter about users or administrators of these accounts, whom they claimed had posted fake or fabricated images and statements online that had “the potential to incite communal tension”.
Similar notices were issued Facebook And YouTube too.
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