New Delhi, 23 July 2020: The Indian Journalists Union joins the International Federation of Journalists and its Gender Council’s call to media organisations and trade unions to make gender equality a priority in their response to the pandemic and demand concrete steps to provide their female colleagues with decent working conditions.

Guwahati, 16 July 2020: The Indian Journalists Union strongly condemns the arrest of Rajib Sarma, correspondent of DY365 TV channel from Dhubri, Assam at midnight by Dhubri police resulting in the sudden death of the journalist’s father under shock.

Rajib was picked up from his house at 2 am on Thursday by Dhubri police following an FIR filed by the Dhubri Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Biswajit Roy. In the FIR, the DFO alleged that on July 8, Rajib had demanded money from him and threatened that his TV channel will expose the many irregularities committed by the DFO.

New Delhi, 21 July 2020: The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) condemns the attack on two journalists in separate incidents-- Rajiv Nayan Bahuguna in Uttarakhand by thugs on July 20 and BBC correspondent Dilnawaz Pasha in Uttar Pradesh subjected to abuse and detained for six hours by the Bahjoi police.

16 July 2020: Welcoming the arrest of owner of Afkar daily Pyare Miyan, accused of raping four minor girls and running a sex racket in Madhya Pradesh, the Indian Journalists Union demanded strictest action be taken against him as other than his heinous crimes he had sullied the profession of journalism. Further, the Union demanded the SIT investigate the matter thoroughly in the backdrop of rumours he had a ‘quid pro quo relationship with those in power’.

11 July 2020: The Indian Journalists Union is deeply dismayed over J&K administration extending the restrictions on internet speed (4G) till 29th July and the Union Home Ministry’s non-compliance of Supreme Court orders to constitute a ‘Special Committee’ to review these restrictions. At the same time, the IJU hopes the apex court would list a contempt petition filed against non-compliance of its orders at its earliest convenience.

New Delhi, 10 July 2020: The Indian Journalists Union welcomes the Delhi High Court order vacating its 2017 interim order banning publication of any allegations or complaints of sexual harassment made against venture capitalist Mahesh Murthy, who is managing partner of a firm Seedfirm and Managing Director of a digital brand management firm Pinstorm, The case related to accounts of alleged harassment by Murthy, “almost all during professional interactions”, as reported by FactorDaily, during 2003 to 2016.

8 July 2020: The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has expressed serious concern over a police complaint by Lawsohtun village council against The Shillong Times editor Patricia Mukhim on Monday for a social media post. The village council filed the complaint against Mukhim, alleging that her comments on Facebook about the attack on six non-tribal youths in Lawsohtun village last week could incite communal tension.

30 June, 2020: The Indian Journalists Union strongly condemns the assault on journalist Hofe Dada of digital media outlet ‘Gyoloo News’ in Arunachal Pradesh, on Monday by four men at the premises of a factory of SMS Smelters Ltd, in Lekhi Village, threatening him not to report. Dada filed a complaint with the Nirjuli police station and the IJU demands that the culprits be brought to book immediately.  

28 June, 2020: The Indian Journalists Union expresses profound concern over government’s latest attempt to rein in the media, this time the biggest news agency PTI through the so-called ‘autonomous’ public service broadcaster Prasar Bharti. It is learnt that the Prasar Bharti has written to PTI saying that its conduct has made it “no longer tenable’ to patronise the news agency, after it quoted the Chinese Ambassador in India on the ongoing India-China stand-off.

June 27, 2020: Adapting to changing times by holding its first virtual National Executive Committee meeting, the Indian Journalist Union took into detailed account the dismal situation in the media sector since the pandemic broke out. It decided to appeal to the Government to look into stimulus packages that various European governments have announced for their media and initiate a similar one for the media in the country, as it had done for various other sectors.   

19 June, 2020: Standing in solidarity with Scroll.in Executive Editor Supriya Sharma, the Indian Journalists Union is both shocked and anguished at the registration of First Information Report (FIR) against her by the Uttar Pradesh police over her reportage on effects of lockdown in Prime Minister Modi’s constituency. Scroll.in has stood by the article. The IJU views the FIR as yet another blatant misuse of law to intimidate and silence journalists, and in this case a recipient of prestigious Chameli Devi Jain award for Outstanding Woman Journalist as well as Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism award.