NewsClick case: RSF, human rights lawyers urge European Union to sanction four Delhi Police officers

Nonprofit organisations Reporters Without Borders and Guernica 37 Chambers on Wednesday called on the European Union to sanction four high-ranking officers of the Delhi Police for “exactions” against journalists associated with news website NewsClick.

Reporters Without Borders is an international nonprofit headquartered in Paris and focused on safeguarding press freedom. Guernica 37 Chambers is a London-based specialist group of international criminal and human rights lawyers.

The organisations said in a statement that they have made a submission to the European External Action Service, the European Union’s diplomatic service, to adopt “sanctions against four officials of the Delhi Police’s counter-terrorism unit, who are implicated in an unprecedented crackdown on journalists in the country”.

Without naming the police officers, the organisations said that they ordered raids on the homes of 46 journalists associated with NewsClick in Delhi and surrounding towns in October.

On October 3, Delhi Police raided several journalists associated with NewsClick and arrested the website’s founder, Prabir Purkayastha, and human resources head, Amit Chakraborty, in a case filed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

The police have alleged that the news organisation received money to spread Chinese propaganda.

In their statements, Reporters Without Borders and Guernica 37 Chambers said on Wednesday: “Several journalists targeted by the raids had investigated alleged fraud committed by the Adani conglomerate, whose chairman is considered...

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