ITANAGAR, Oct 29: The Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) and the Arunachal Press Club (APC) have condemned the inclusion of senior journalist and The Arunachal Times Deputy Editor Tongam Rina’s name in an application seeking search warrants in connection with the October 23 violence in Pasighat during protests against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
In a joint press statement, the two organisations expressed concern over what they described as a serious threat to press freedom, questioning whether investigative powers could be used to intimidate journalists reporting on contentious public issues.
According to the organisations, documents submitted by the investigating officer of Pasighat Police Station before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, East Siang district, on October 27, listed Rina among four individuals named in an application seeking search warrants under Section 96 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
The journalist bodies said the inclusion of Rina’s name, in the absence of publicly disclosed evidence linking her to any criminal activity, raised serious questions about the treatment of independent journalists.
Describing Rina as a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on governance, indigenous rights, environmental concerns and issues affecting Arunachal Pradesh, the organisations maintained that reporting on protests should not be equated with participation in violence.
“Journalism is not a crime, reporting on protests is not an offence, and questioning those in power is not an act of criminality,” the statement said.
While condemning the violence, arson and destruction of property in Pasighat, the APUWJ and APC stressed that criminal investigations must not become a means to intimidate journalists, suppress critical reporting or silence dissenting voices.
The organisations demanded that the state government and Arunachal Pradesh Police immediately clarify the specific grounds for including Rina’s name in the proceedings, conduct an urgent review and take corrective action if her inclusion was found to be unjustified.
They warned that any attempt to criminalise legitimate journalistic work could have a chilling effect on independent reporting across the state.
Reaffirming their solidarity with Rina, the two press bodies said they would oppose intimidation, harassment or unjustified criminal proceedings against journalists performing their professional duties.
“Silencing journalists will not silence the truth. Intimidating the press will only weaken democracy,” the statement added.