India: The Shillong Times editor Patricia Mukhim resigns from Editors Guild of India

November 18, 2020, Shillong, Meghalaya - Patricia Mukhim, the editor of The Shillong Times, resigned from the Editors Guild of India in consequence of the organization's lack of response to the high court ruling. In July, Patricia was accused of inciting hostility between different groups by posting on her Facebook page. The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands with Patricia and calls on related organizations to support and protect journalists in the face of adversity.

Patricia Mukhim was targeted by the police after writing a Facebook post about the systematic discrimination against non-tribals in Meghalaya. Following an investigation into the matter, the Meghalaya High Court refused to drop the case against the journalist. She was accused of inciting hostility and enmity between groups. 

The investigation against Patricia was brought to the High Court in Shillong after a complaint filed on November 12. In her testimony, she underlined that she published the social media post in good faith; her intention was only to draw attention to the inadequate response of the police and the village council. 

However, the High Court rejected the petition, ruling her in violation of Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code, as it sought "to promote a sense of discord or hostility, hatred or malice between the two communities". Patricia is planning an appeal to the Supreme Court to refute the charges.

Prioritizing the voices and rights of marginalized people, the journalist ended her affiliation with the Editors Guild of India after they remained silent throughout her legal proceedings. In her statement, the journalist mentions how the Guild condemned the arrest of Arnab Goswami, who is not a member of the organization, yet they did not come to her defence. In fact, Goswami’s case was unrelated to journalism entirely. 

According to Scroll.in, Patricia made the following comment on the situation: “As a senior member of the Guild, I informed them about the High Court order against me since Tuesday and expected them to give a statement condemning the order.” She continued: “If they think that giving a statement was not in order because the matter is sub-judice they could have told me so. There was a stunning silence from their end.” she added. 

The Coalition For Journalism condemns the case against Patricia and demands its withdrawal. Many female journalists face legal harassment solely for their comments and insight. The Coalition For Women In Journalism follows these cases closely and asserts that journalism is not a crime. We call on related organizations to support journalists and stand with them in solidarity.