State Vilifying Journalists Who Speak Truth to Power: Renowned Writers, Activists on Newsclick Case

New Delhi: Renowned writers and activists including International Booker Prize winner Geetanjali Shree, Ramon Magsaysay Award winners P. Sainath and Aruna Roy, writers K.R. Meera, Perumal Murugan, Ramachandra Guha and V. Geetha, and singer T.M. Krishna have issued a statement condemning the Delhi Police’s UAPA case and action against the editor, staff members and contributors of Newsclick.

Read the full statement below.

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We, the undersigned, are deeply shocked and concerned about the arrest of two persons including the NewsClick editor Prabir Purkayastha under various sections of the draconian UAPA and the blanket raids in the houses of about 46 newspersons associated with the NewsClick in New Delhi on October 3rd. This includes Githa Hariharan, Urmilesh, Aunindyo Chakravarti, Sohail Hashmi, Teesta Setalvad, Sanjay Rajoura, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Anuradha Raman. All of them are well-known journalists and activists who have a commendable body of work to their credit.

The action against NewsClick is a chilling attempt to silence their brave voices. Criticism is essential for a democracy and any attempt to mute voices is an assault on India’s democratic spirit. By foisting cases under sections of UAPA and sealing the office of NewsClick the State is attempting to vilify journalists who have consistently and fearlessly spoken truth to power.

We have also come to know that many of them were detained by the Delhi police, and several of them have had their phones and laptops confiscated. This does not merely constitute a violation of their privacy but is also illegal since the devices have been confiscated without court orders and without their owners being informed of the details of the case.

We record with concern that there have been reports in the past of manufactured ‘pieces of evidence’ being planted in the confiscated devices of activists who were detained under UAPA. We are genuinely worried that similar attempts will be made in the case of journalists of NewsClick.

We urge stakeholders and concerned citizens to speak up against this harassment of NewsClick and its contributors.

At this dark moment, we record our deep appreciation of NewsClick’s stellar work in journalism and stand firmly in solidarity with all its staff and contributors.

Signatories

Aruna Roy
Geetanjali Shree
K.R. Meera
P. Sainath
Perumal Murugan
Ramachandra Guha
T.M. Krishna
V. Geetha