Press Council of India issues guidelines for journalists covering protests
Here's the latest protest news from across India:
The Press Council of India (PCI), a statutory and quasi-judicial body meant to preserve press freedom, has issued guidelines for journalists covering protests, emphasising professional conduct, crowd safety, ethical reporting and coordination with newsrooms and law enforcement agencies.
Adding to this, Many protesters have been dragged, manhandled and detained. (AP Photo) The guidelines were rolled out on Thursday to “facilitate orderly and effective media coverage of protests” while ensuring the safety of journalists and responsible reporting. They call on journalists to carry valid identity cards issued by their media organisations or applicable Press Information Bureau (PIB)/Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP) accreditation. They ask journalists to keep their press identification clearly visible while reporting.
Meanwhile, The guidelines were issued against the backdrop of tens of thousands of people taking to the streets seeking chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s removal and the scrapping of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. The authorities ordered Metro closures, Internet shutdowns, imposed prohibitory orders and deployed 40,000 security personnel to turn Delhi into a virtual fortress.
Notably, Many protesters were dragged, manhandled and detained. On Sunday, at least 12 journalists covering the second day of protests were detained.
As per the latest buzz, The PCI, which has jurisdiction only over print media under the Press Council Act of 1978, has advised journalists to secure their identity cards and lanyards carefully to prevent entanglement during crowd movement or confrontations. It emphasised professional neutrality and asked journalists not to participate in demonstrations, take sides, provoke confrontations or interfere with protesters, counterprotesters or police.
In further updates, The PCI advised media personnel to remain respectful, follow police orders and comply with lawful instructions issued for immediate safety, while calmly asserting their press status when necessary.
On top of that, The PCI asked journalists to maintain a reasonable distance from confrontations, particularly when tensions escalate, or police action is anticipated. It shared they should avoid attaching cameras or recording equipment to police barricades, vehicles, or other equipment in ways that could obstruct movement or cause damage.
The guidelines recommend careful movement through crowds and continuous assessment of potential dangers. They stressed the importance of situational awareness and escape planning.
Source: Hindustan Times