Don't book journalists at the 'drop of a hat,' NHRC directs Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram

Justice MM Kumar directed the top cops and chief secretaries to give journalists enough space to express their views

The chief secretaries and director generals of police in Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram were directed not to register cases against journalists at the "drop of a hat", National Human Rights Commission member Justice MM Kumar said Wednesday.

The directions were issued during their deposition to the commission at a two-day hearing that concluded Wednesday. The NHRC's direction was given in connection to a complaint filed by Sanit Debroy of the Assembly of Journalists in Tripura and the commission gave specific directions to the state's chief secretary and director general of police, Kumar said.

“We have told the states' authorities during the hearing that they need to show patience and to give them (journalists) enough space to express their point of view... We have also told them don't register cases at the drop of a hat,” he told PTI.

Debroy had approached the NHRC with his complaint that since the BJP-IPFT government came to power in the state in 2018, many scribes had been attacked and many newspaper offices had been vandalised. The other two states, whose representatives were present at the meeting, were also directed to do the same.

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“I have told the chief secretaries (of the three states) this (Wednesday) afternoon and they have taken note of the direction,” he said.

In all, 19 cases were heard during the two day-public hearing. Ten of the cases were from Tripura, six from Meghalaya and 3 from Mizoram.

The commission recommended compensation of Rs 7 lakh to a minor who was raped by paramilitary personnel in Tripura. In another case, top government officers of the state were directed to provide proper medical care and treatment to a physically challenged person. The commission also directed the Mizoram government to pay compensation of Rs 7 lakh to the next of kin of a person who died in police custody, while the Meghalaya government was asked to submit proofs of payment of Rs 3 lakh to the next of kin of a victim who died in a police encounter. Two cases in connection to the death of labourers in illegal coal mines in Meghalaya were heard and the state government was directed to give Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the kin of each victim, he said.

NHRC general secretary Bimbadhar Pradhan said that the commission is extensively using the NHRC portal for ensuring easy and quick submission of reports and action-taken reports from state governments on 22 advisories issued earlier.

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