ITANAGAR, OCT 29:
Three media organisations in Arunachal Pradesh have raised concerns over the inclusion of senior journalist and The Arunachal Times deputy editor Tongam Rina in a police application seeking search warrants in connection with the October 23 violence in Pasighat during protests against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
In separate statements on Thursday, the Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ), Arunachal Press Club (APC) and Arunachal Publishers and Broadcasters Guild (APBG) called for transparency and due process, stressing that investigative action must not undermine press freedom or impede legitimate journalistic work.
According to documents submitted by the investigating officer of Pasighat Police Station before the Chief Judicial Magistrate of East Siang district on October 27, Rina’s name figures among four individuals in an application seeking search warrants under Section 96 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
APUWJ and APC described the development as disturbing, saying the inclusion of a journalist in such proceedings, without publicly disclosed evidence linking her to criminal activity, raised concerns over the treatment of independent journalists. They demanded that the Arunachal Pradesh Police and the state government clarify the specific grounds for her inclusion, urgently review the matter and take corrective action if the move is found unjustified.
The two organisations condemned the violence, arson and destruction of property in Pasighat but maintained that criminal investigations should not become a means of intimidating journalists or suppressing critical reporting. They said reporting from a protest site should not be equated with participation in violence.
The organisations also expressed solidarity with Rina, describing her as a senior journalist who has reported extensively on governance, indigenous rights, environmental concerns and other issues affecting the state. They reaffirmed their commitment to defending press freedom and journalistic independence.
Meanwhile, APBG president Chopa Cheda and general secretary Jack Tayeng said any investigative action involving journalists must be handled with transparency, restraint and respect for press freedom and democratic rights.
The Guild acknowledged the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to investigate alleged offences in accordance with the law but stressed that a journalist’s professional activities should not, by themselves, become grounds for suspicion or punitive action.
It further said any search involving a journalist’s premises should be based on specific legal grounds, follow due process and incorporate appropriate safeguards for journalistic materials, confidential sources and unpublished reporting.
APBG urged the state government and law enforcement authorities to ensure that the investigation remained fair and evidence-based, without creating the perception of an attempt to intimidate the media. It also called for the protection of journalists’ professional independence, particularly amid heightened tensions surrounding SUMP.
The three organisations stressed that journalists must be able to report matters of public interest without fear or undue pressure, while investigations into alleged offences must proceed in accordance with the law.
