Hyderabad/New Delhi, Apr 9: The Indian Journalists Union (IJU), the largest and most representative organisation of working journalists in the country has welcomed the Manipur High Court order releasing Kishorchandra Wangkhem, the journalist who is under imprisonment since November 21.
The division bench of the High Court, Justice Lanusungkum Jamir and Justice K H Nobin Singh quashed the order of the district magistrate of Imphal West detaining Wangkhem under the National Security Act and ordered his immediate release. He is likely to be released in a day or two.
In a press statement issued today, IJU President and Press Council of India (PCI) member Amar Devulapalli and Secretary General Sabina Inderjit welcomed the court order and said “though the court took far too long-about four months to release him, it was a heartening news as his detention was a gross misuse of NSA and simply unacceptable. The Manipur High Court vindicated our faith in the judiciary and upheld the freedom of speech and expression.”
Wangkhem was arrested on sedition charges on November 21 after he posted a video on Facebook criticising Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But he was released by a district court saying that criticism against those in power did not amount to sedition.
In spite of the district court’s verdict Manipur government arbitrarily detained Wangkhem under the NSA. The journalist has been ill since March and was admitted to the government owned Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal. IJU Press Release

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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