Madras Reporters Guild condemns arrest of Nakkheeran Gopal

Chennai Nirupargal Sangam (Madras Reporters Guild) has condemned the arrest of Tamil biweekly Nakkheeran Editor Gopal on Tuesday, and said such arrests of journalists merely because a case is registered with the police is reprehensible, undemocratic and against the canons of free speech and expression.

The statement issued by the Guild’s president R Rangaraj and secretary D Sekar said: “It is open to the police or the government to file a case against any journalist or media organisation. But to arrest a journalist as a first step of the investigation is uncalled for and totally unnecessary.”

The Guild urged the government to ensure that Gopal is released immediately and allowed to continue his duties as a journalist. “Such arrests tend to undermine democratic norms in the country and go against the principles of free speech and expression which are guaranteed under the Constitution,” the statement added. - TWL Bureau