Frontlist | 2 Manipur editors, ‘author’ booked under sedition law, UAPA for ‘endorsing armed revolution’
Frontlist | 2 Manipur editors, ‘author’ booked under sedition law, UAPA for ‘endorsing armed revolution’on Jan 20, 2021 Guwahati: The Manipur Police filed a suo motu FIR against the executive editor and the editor of online news portal The Frontier Manipur over the publication of an article that “openly endorsed revolutionary ideologies and activities”.
Executive editor Aribam Dhananjoy, popularly known as Paojel Chaoba, was arrested late Sunday night while editor Dhiren Sadokpam was called in for questioning. The two were released Monday afternoon.
The FIR also named the author of the article, M. Joy Luwang, though police are still trying to establish the person’s identity.
“The person who has written the article is not known… they (the editors) are not disclosing his identity,” Imphal West Superintendent of Police K. Meghachandra Singh told ThePrint.
All three have been charged under sections 124A (sedition), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 505(b) (causing alarm to induce offence against the state), and 34 (common intention) of the the Indian Penal Code, as well as Section 39 (supporting terror organisation) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Speaking to ThePrint after being released, Chaoba said, “The government needs to be appreciative of what journalists are trying to do. As journalists, we are supposed to move the opinion of public. And when our freedom of expression is stifled, we need to stand together and fight these repressive measures.”
Article published without verification’
The two editors were released after members of the All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) met with Chief Minister N. Biren Singh Monday. “The Chief Minister and the Union negotiated, and at some point, the CM realised and ordered for their unconditional release,” Khwairakpam Naoba, AMWJU general secretary, told ThePrint. Police said the editors had published the article without any verification.“They have been released for the blunder they committed. Without authentication, they published the article. Their web page is not even registered. Some clarification was sought from their end, and after examination, it was found that their intention was not bad,” said Meghachandra.
In a letter addressed to the superintendent, a copy of which is with ThePrint, Chaoba said the “source was unverified, but came from one person called M. Joy Luwang”. “I regret that the government finds the article questionable and I submit that it was an oversight from our part. There will be no such mistake which will not pass our scrutiny in future,” Chaoba wrote. Speaking to ThePrint, Chaoba later said, “We need to carry all kind of news, but while adhering to journalistic ethics. My number is available in open platform and that’s how M. Joy Luwang sent me his article, through WhatsApp. It had only his address and name. Yes, there was an oversight on our part. His credentials were not checked.” According to the FIR, in the 8 January article, “the author has openly endorsed revolutionary ideologies and activities and expressed shock and dismay at the deteriorating character of the armed revolutionary leaders of Manipur in the recent decade”. Luwang has “preached about the behaviour and characters that a true revolutionary should possess”, the FIR stated, and added that he is “calling out to the people of Manipur to become true revolutionaries”. “His article clearly expressed sympathy and support to the ideologies and activities of the armed revolutionary groups and out rightly called the rule of law of the Union government and Centre as colonial law,” it said.
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