India: journalist arrested for covering demonstration against corruption
The NUJ joins the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in demanding the unconditional release of digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder in India.
Mozumder, chief reporter at The CrossCurrent and assistant secretary of Guwahati Press Club, was arrested by police on 25 March for covering a demonstration against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank.
Speaking to local media, Mozumder’s family said the journalist had been detained by police for twelve hours after questioning Dambaru Saikia, the bank’s managing director, regarding an alleged multi-million recruitment scam involving two other executive bank employees.
Later that day, Saikia and the bank’s security guard filed complaints to police accusing Mozumder of criminal intimidation”, “offensive remarks”, unlawfully entering the bank's headquarters and attempting to steal bank documents.
The Gauhati Press Club and Journalists Union of Assam subsequently led a protest from the Press Club of India demanding Mozumder’s release. Mozumder was granted bail the same evening.
The NUJ joins the IFJ and its affiliate the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) in condemning all charges against Mozumder.
The IJU said:
“Mozumder’s arrest is sheer gagging of independent reportage, and the FIRs filed appeared to be trumped up charges. Arresting journalists for merely doing his/her duties is a sheer violation of freedom of the press and such curtailment of media rights is unacceptable. The government must refrain from such intimidation and harassment of journalists and respect the rule of law.”
The IFJ said:
“The arrest of senior journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder is a transparent attempt to silence critical voices reporting in the public interest. The IFJ is concerned about the deteriorating state of media freedom in India and calls on the authorities to ensure all charges against the journalist are dropped.”