The Editors Guild of India has cautioned the Karnataka police against using the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act against Rahul Belagali, a reporter of the ‘Prajavani’ newspaper.
The Shimoga police had demanded information on a Naxalite leader who was interviewed by the reporter for an article on Naxalism which appeared in the newspaper.
When Belagali refused to comply, the police sent a notice to ‘Prajavani’ associate editor Padmaraj Dandavati, threatening to use the Act against him.
Professional ethics demands that mediapersons should protect their sources and not reveal their identities, when they request privacy. The confidentiality of a source is a well-established journalistic principle,” Guild president Rajdeep Sardesai and secretary-general Coomi Kapoor said in a statement.
“Without such privilege, sources would not be willing to speak freely to the media, whose duty it is to report the facts fairly and objectively from all points of view to present a true picture to the public,” they said.
In Bangalore, the Karnataka Union of Working Journalists has condemned the police for threatening to take action against ‘Prajavani’ journalists and demanded that the police should withdraw the warrant immediately.
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