Re: Strike call after Assam shootings
Global protest against assault on journalist in Assam
An international press freedom group yesterday condemned a police assault on a journalist in Assam while scribes in the state announced a series of anti-government protests here. “It is shocking that reporters are beaten up just for doing their job,” Reporters Sans Frontiers, a worldwide press freedom organisation, said in a statement from Paris. “We demand that those responsible be punished.” Police had attacked Robin Dhekial Phukan from Assamese daily Asomiya Pratidin Friday at Kakopathar in eastern Assam’s Tinsukia district, the scene of a bloody massacre on February 10 when nine people died in police firing.
Asomiya Pratidin management said Phukan was covering the visit of Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to Kakopathar Friday afternoon when he was beaten up by police and taken to a police station. “Phukan is now at the Dibrugarh Medical College hospital and is still in a critical condition,” said Manjot Mahanta, executive editor the Asomiya Pratidin. The Journalists Action Committee (JAC) of Assam Saturday decided to boycott government functions and government-related news stories for two days beginning today. “No news relating to the government will be published in any of the newspapers in Assam published on Monday and Tuesday,” JAC member Sanjiv Phukan said. The meeting also decided to take out protest rallies across Assam on Tuesday to condemn the incident.