India: CFWIJ denounces criminal charges against Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha
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November 15, 2021, New Delhi - Journalists Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha were detained by the Assam Police in relation to their coverage of the Tripura violence on Sunday, November 14, 2021. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the two, accusing them of “maligning” the Tripura government by covering communal tensions in the region. Their arrest received widespread condemnation from press freedom support networks in the country before they were granted bail on Monday, November 15, 2021. However the state authorities refuse to relent and the charges against them persist.
Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha, journalists for the HW News Network, were arrested by the Assam police for covering the tensions in Tripura, at Karimganj's Neelam Bazar, close to the border between the two states. The two were subsequently kept at a government-run shelter home for women for the night and were supposed to be handed over to the Tripura Police in the morning today. That has not happened yet. According to Samriddhi, they were supposed to head towards Tripura state capital Agartala earlier today, however, they continue to be held in custody of the Assam Police despite their complete cooperation.
FIR🚨 in #Tripura@Jha_Swarnaa and I, the correspondent at @hwnewsnetwork have been booked under 3 sections of IPC at the Fatikroy police station, Tripura.
— Samriddhi K Sakunia (@Samriddhi0809) November 14, 2021
VHP filed complaint against me and @Jha_Swarnaa FIR has been filed under the section: 120(B), 153(A)/ 504.
Copy of FIR pic.twitter.com/a8XGC2Wjc5
The police arrived yesterday at the hotel around 10:30 at night and served the FIR copy in the morning 5:30am. We were supposed to leave for the capital Agartala but have been not allowed to move despite full cooperation. There are around 16-17 police deployed outside our hotel.
— Samriddhi K Sakunia (@Samriddhi0809) November 14, 2021
Their arrest received severe criticism from the civil society and the media fraternity. The Editors Guild of India came out in support of the journalists stating that "Editors Guild condemns this action and demands their immediate release and restoration of their freedom to travel”.
The Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) also extended solidarity to the journalists stating, "We understand that the two women journalists, Ms Sakuni and Ms Jha, are to be taken back to Tripura for questioning". The IWPC went on to “demand that they be released immediately and be allowed to do their job”.
Samriddhi and Swarna were subsequently granted bail on November 15, however the charges against them have not been dropped.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism had earlier reported on The IWPC’s criticism of the actions of the Tripura Police and demanded that the UAPA charges against Shyam Meera Singh be dropped. However, it appears the situation has only continued to deteriorate since. We view the FIR against Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha as an intimidation tactic to cover up for state negligence and complicity in the violence that unfolded in the state of Tripura and demand that the journalists be immediately released.
