New Delhi: The Editors Guild of India (EGI) has issued a stark warning about the potential threats to press freedom posed by recent amendments to criminal laws, expressing serious concerns over the implications for journalistic integrity.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the EGI conveyed their worries in a detailed letter to the Indian Home Minister Amit Shah. They specifically referenced the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, legislation that significantly expands police powers. The Guild criticized the misuse of the existing Indian Penal Code (IPC) provisions against journalists, a practice they fear could worsen with the new laws.
The Guild’s letter articulated fears that these expanded legal powers would serve as additional tools to intimidate and harass the press. “We are writing to bring to your notice, a longstanding concern of ours, with respect to the manner in which criminal laws have been used against journalists, as tools to intimidate and harass them,” stated the EGI.
They called for a comprehensive review and consultation process regarding the new laws to safeguard against their misuse and suggested a ‘journalistic exception’ protocol. This protocol would require any criminal complaints against journalists to be preliminarily reviewed by a senior police officer and the Press Council of India before an FIR is registered, aiming to protect journalistic activities from unjust legal challenges.