Criminal Cases Against Sakshi Newspaper: Editors Guild Sounds Alarm on Press Freedom in Andhra

New Delhi- The Editors Guild of India (EGI) has expressed serious concern over the alleged "selective application of criminal law" against members of the press in Andhra Pradesh, urging Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to intervene and prevent the "weaponisation" of laws to intimidate journalists.

In a strongly-worded letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the premier body of editors highlighted "disturbing developments" over the past few days, where a series of First Information Reports (FIRs) have been filed in various police stations against the Telugu daily newspaper, Sakshi.

The Guild cited a specific instance where criminal action was initiated against Sakshi alone for its coverage of a political leader’s press conference, an event that was reportedly covered by several other media outlets without any legal repercussions.

"The Editor of the paper has publicly stated that only his organisation has been singled out for police action for what was a routine journalistic activity," the EGI noted in its communication. It termed this pattern as a police "overreach" that creates an impression of "vindictiveness against any publication."

Emphasizing its role in protecting press freedom and raising professional standards in Indian journalism, the Guild stated that while it consistently urges media to adhere to principles of fairness and accuracy, the state machinery must not be used to harass them through "frivolous or selective criminal complaints."

The letter urged that the conduct of the police must reflect "professionalism and impartiality" and that criminal laws should not be used to stifle journalists performing their public duty.

The EGI's leadership, including President Anant Nath, General Secretary Ruben Banerjee, and Treasurer K. Ve. Prasad, appealed to the Chief Minister's office to take urgent steps to uphold the constitutional guarantee of free speech and ensure a safe environment for the press to operate without fear.