Editor's Guild condemns police harassment of Gilani

The Editors Guild of India on Sunday condemned the “arbitrary” and “high-handed” treatment by the Delhi police of Iftikhar Gilani, his wife and young children.

“The police gave no reason to for their unwarranted action. It is a matter of relief that he was released after protests by various journalist bodies and by individual journalists, and resultant intervention by the ministry of home affairs,” the guild said in a statement.

“Nevertheless, the police owe an apology to Mr Gilani and his family and the assurance that he will not be harassed in the future or prevented from carrying out his journalistic duties again,” the statement added.

The guild also expressed grave concern at the closure of newspapers in Srinagar for the past two days. “According to information received in Delhi, newspapers in the Valley have been asked not to print or circulate their editions. That newspapers have not been able to upload their online editions, impinges on their Constitutional right to freedom of expression,” the statement said.

The guild called upon the government of Jammu and Kashmir to end all such restrictions, so that newspapers in the state can work without any fetters.