New Delhi, 5 December 2021: The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) expresses grave concern over editor of a local news portal Barak Bulletin, Anirban Roy Choudhury being charged with sedition by the Cachar police, Assam. Joining its affiliate, Journalists Union of Assam, the IJU demanded that the charges under various sections, including sedition, be withdrawn immediately.

On Saturday, the local police registered an FIR against Choudhury for his editorial on November 28 criticising the arrest of a veteran advocate and a leader of a local political organisation who  raised voice of protest demanding removal of a poster in Assamese text at a petrol station in Meherpur area and pressed for replacing the poster with the Bengali language with the claims that as per The Assam Official Language (Amendment) Act 1961, Bengali is the official language in Barak Valley.  Dutta Roy had issued an ultimatum as well.

In a statement, IJU President and former member of the Press Council of India Geetartha Pathak and IJU Secretary General and Vice President of IFJ, Sabina Inderjit said that journalists have the right to express opinion in editorial and other journalistic contents on any issue. Booking journalists under the sedition law for their journalistic works is violation of freedom of press and fundamental constitutional right of freedom of expression.

The IJU is gravely concerned over the rampant use of national security act and other sedition laws against activists, political opponents and journalists by both the Centre and State governments in spite of Supreme Court’s observation that such draconian laws should not be used for mere expression of opinion. The IJU demands from the Assam government immediate withdrawal of charges against Anirban Roy Choudhury.