Police arrest over 20 journalists in Quetta
QUETTA (November 22 2007): Police on Wednesday detained over 20 journalists after thrashing them with batons, who were protesting against curb on media and ban on independent TV channels. Journalists wanted to march toward the Governor’s House from Press Club Quetta in protest against media curbs and the arrest of 180 journalists detained for six hours in Karachi on Tuesday.
Police stop the journalists from marching towards Governor’s House and after baton charge arrested 20 of them. Shehzad Zulfikar, President of Quetta Press Club, who was also among the detained journalists, said on phone from City Police Station that the journalists wanted to hold a peaceful demonstration but the police arrested over 20 journalists.
More than 180 journalists were arrested in Karachi on Tuesday who were protesting the government’s crackdown on media following his declaration of a state of emergency on November 3.
The government introduced this month curbs on the media through two decrees barring the media from printing or broadcasting “anything which defames or brings into ridicule the head of state, or members of the armed forces, or executive, legislative or judicial organ of the state.”
Television discussions on anything which is deemed to be “false or baseless” by the regulatory authorities have also been banned. Journalists groups say they have been repeatedly threatened and prevented from covering events following suspension of the constitution, had their equipment confiscated, and been warned that if they record footage of arrests or police raids, they themselves will face arrest and incarceration.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:11/22/2007
” 
” 
” 
” 
