Days after Patricia Mukhim quit Editor’s Guild, body expresses ‘deep concern’

The Editors Guild of India has expressed deep concern over The Shillong Times editor Patricia Mukhim being “dragged through a cumbersome criminal charge procedure” on a criticism over a social media submit and mentioned her case is a mirrored image of the bigger threats to freedom of speech within the nation.

Ms. Mukhim resigned as member of Editors Guild of India (EGI) in protest in opposition to what she known as, the group’s “complete silence” on the current High Court ruling which refused to quash an FIR in opposition to her and held her responsible of making communal disharmony by her Facebook submit in July.

In an announcement, the guild mentioned Ms. Mukhim’s case is an instance of how a number of authorized provisions can be utilized in opposition to free speech and due to this fact in opposition to free press. The guild mentioned it’s deeply involved to see Padma Shri awardee and Editor of Shillong Times, Ms. Mukhim, being “dragged through a cumbersome criminal charge procedure that is borne out of a complaint on one of her social media post“.”

The felony criticism was filed in response to her Facebook submit in July 2020 over a skirmish between tribal and non-tribal youth in Lawsohtun at a basketball courtroom.

“Mukhim’s case is a reflection of the larger threats to freedom of speech in India, which operates under an unwieldy framework of laws that are often used indiscriminately by government and law enforcement agencies to muzzle dissent,” the guild mentioned.

“Several provisions across multiple laws give a handle to government agencies and law enforcement authorities to lodge criminal cases against journalists wherein the criminal complaint procedure itself becomes an exacting punishment, and acts as deterrent against exercise of free speech,” it mentioned.

Media’s prime duty is to query the affairs of the federal government and report info, nonetheless harsh and disturbing it could be, the guild mentioned.

They can’t be held accountable for relaying info which will carry to fore particulars on fault strains throughout the society, or for that matter, mismanagement and corruption in authorities affairs, it mentioned.

The guild mentioned it underlines the necessity for larger judiciary to take cognizance of those essential points that impede freedom of speech and difficulty tips to make sure that wanton use of legal guidelines doesn’t function a deterrent to a free press.