“DIGIPUB News India Foundation condemns the continued targetting of journalists who have been reporting on the ongoing farmers’ protest on the outskirts of Delhi,” the DNIF said.
DIGIPUB News India Foundation (DNIF), an association of digital-only news ventures and freelancers, has demanded the immediate release of journalist Mandeep Punia and withdrawal of all “malicious” cases filed against other journalists.
DIGIPUB News India Foundation demands the immediate release of journalist #MandeepPunia and the withdrawal of all malicious cases against journalists. pic.twitter.com/ulZhKQwTvj
— DIGIPUB News India Foundation (@DigipubIndia) February 1, 2021
“On Saturday, independent journalist Mandeep Punia and Online News India journalist Dharmender Singh were detained with an FIR being filed against the former for obstructing a public official and other charges. His bail application has been rejected. Punia was in the thick of covering the violence that took place at the Singhu border,” the DNIF said, in a statement released on Monday.
It also mentioned the FIR registered against the Founding Editor of ‘The Wire’ Siddharth Varadarajan over his tweet on the deceased farmer in tractor rally on Republic day.
The DNIF also condemned the FIRs against several other journalists including Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pandey, Zafar Agha, Vinod Jose, Anant Nath and Paresh Nath, under various charges, including sedition.
“We also condemn the FIR lodged against two news portals, The Kashmir Walla and Kashmiriyat, for reporting alleged pressure faced by a private school in Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir, to celebrate Republic Day,” the DNIF further added.
“DIGIPUB News India Foundation condemns the continued targetting of journalists who have been reporting on the ongoing farmers’ protest on the outskirts of Delhi. The use of sedition to suppress dissent and critical voices must be fiercely opposed by journalists across the country,” the DNIF said in a statement.
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