KUJ demands withdrawal of FIRs against journalists
KARACHI (November 23 2007): The Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) has condemned the registration of FIRs against journalists, who were arrested on November 20 outside the Karachi Press Club, while protesting against emergency and fresh curbs on media freedom.
According to a KUJ press release, the Union rejects allegation levelled in the two FIRs (282/07 and 283/07) registered in the Frere Police Station and consider them contrary to the assurances given by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan when a KUJ-KPC delegation met him at the Governor’s House on November 21 and had presented him a memorandum, condemning the uncalled-for police action against media persons.
The journalists were neither armed nor unruly. They only wanted to march towards the Governor’s House to present a memorandum of their demands. “The KUJ strongly deplores registration of FIR 282/07 under Sections 147/148/149/ 353/186/324,337A(i)/427OD of PPC against 100 to 150 innocent journalists who have been described as “soorat shanas”.
“Not only these sections have been incorporated in the FIR are bogus but they have been inserted with mala fide and criminal intent to harass the media persons, who were peacefully protesting for their rights.
The police have wrongly stated in this FIR that journalists, Ajiz Jamil and Zubair Rehman were not injured by the baton charge. The allegation by the police that they were the victims of stone pelting from the crowd is baseless and a concocted charge.
“The KUJ has also rejected the charges listed against five journalists, namely Mossa Kaleem, Najeeb Ahmed, A.H. Khanzada, Ghulam Mustafa, and M. Asghar Umar, in FIR No 283/07 under Section 188 PPC (violation of Section 144).
“While rejecting these charges, the KUJ makes it clear to the authorities that such repressive and mala fide and baseless methods would not deter the journalists in their ongoing struggle and it would continue to register its peaceful protest. “It demands that these charges should be immediately withdrawn and action should be taken against those who have framed these concocted charges.
“The KUJ reiterated its demand that emergency should be lifted, ‘draconian’ laws should be withdrawn and media curbs should be lifted and all the TV channels should be allowed to function with editorial freedom and the Seventh Wage Award should be implemented forthwith.”
Source: BR
Date:11/23/2007
” 
” 
” 
” 
