FIR against Kerala journalist criticised by Editors Guild, says covering protests is not a crime

The television news reporter has been arraigned in a case registered for throwing shoes at a bus carrying the chief minister and Cabinet members.

Dec 30, 2023 - 00:30

FIR against Kerala journalist criticised by Editors Guild, says covering protests is not a crime

The Editors Guild of India on Friday criticised the police action against a reporter with the television news channel 24 News in Kerala in connection with a students union protest on December 10 near Odakkali village in Ernakulam district.

The reporter, Vinita VG, has been booked in a case registered against some members of the Kerala Students Union, the student wing of the Congress, for throwing shoes at a bus carrying Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and a few of his Cabinet members.

The union’s state office bearer Basil P and activists Devakumar T, Jibin Mathew and Jaiden Johnson have also been booked in connection with the incident.

In its statement, the press body said that reporter Vinita VG has been booked for criminal conspiracy and been issued a notice to appear for interrogation.

“While the Editors Guild does not condone any act of violence, it deplores in strongest words the police action against the reporter,” the Guild’s statement continues. “To cover protests is a media responsibility and is no crime. A reporter’s presence at a protest site does not make him or her complicit in any untoward incident that may have occurred.”

The guild urges the Kerala government to not punish the reporter for discharging her professional duty. “It would...