Arunachal journalists, EGI condemn arrest of Assam scribe in Guwahati

Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) and Editors Guild of India (EGI) on Wednesday condemned the arrest of senior journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder by Assam Police in Guwahati.

Mozumder, the chief reporter of The Cross Current, was performing his journalistic duties when he was taken into custody after attempting to question Dambaru Saikia, the managing director of the Assam Co-operative Apex Bank, about allegations of a recruitment scam.

An anguished EGI said it was deeply concerned over the detention of a journalist in Guwahati for reportedly asking questions to the Managing Director of a cooperative bank embroiled in allegations of irregularities.

"According to reports, Mr. Dilwar Hussain Mozumdar, Chief Reporter with the digital platform The CrossCurrent and Assistant General Secretary of the Guwahati Press Club, was detained on Tuesday, March 25, covering a protest at the premises of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank. He was reportedly taken into custody after seeking to question the bank’s Managing Director," EGI said.

"Mr. Mozumdar was arrested after several hours of questioning under Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," the apex body of journalists said.

"The detention of a journalist while on duty is deeply disturbing. While the media is duty-bound to report fairly and responsibly, it is equally the responsibility of the Assam government to ensure that journalists can carry out their work without intimidation or obstruction. At a time when press freedom is perceived to be under siege across the country, this incident raises serious concerns about media suppression," EGI said.

EGI called on the Assam administration to urgently clarify the circumstances that led to Mozumdar's detention. "At no cost should any journalist anywhere be unjustly held," it said.

The Guild also urged all governments and law enforcement agencies to uphold constitutional values of press freedom and to refrain from using criminal laws to intimidate or harass journalists.

"The incident, which unfolded during a public protest by the Jatiya Yuva Sakti, the youth wing of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), is deeply disturbing and raises serious concerns about the state of press freedom and the right of journalists to hold those in positions of power accountable. That a journalist was detained merely for seeking answers from a public official in connection with a matter of public interest is unacceptable in a democratic society," the APUWJ said in a statement here.

"Such actions not only intimidate the press but also erode public trust in the institutions meant to uphold transparency and accountability. We view this as an attempt to muzzle independent journalism and dissuade journalists from carrying out their fundamental duty of informing the public," APUWJ president Amar Sangno said.

The APUWJ stands in solidarity with Mozumder and urges authorities to respect the constitutional protections guaranteed to journalists and to refrain from using coercive tactics to suppress the freedom of the press.

"We further appeal to journalist bodies across the Northeast and the country to unite against such transgressions and continue to advocate for a media environment free from fear and intimidation," the statement added.