The Editors Council has denounced the persistence of the practice of accusing journalists of murder without cause or specific intent.
According to the council, these kinds of cases are an infringement on press freedom and an abuse of the judicial system.
A statement released on Saturday stated that “legal actions should be taken against journalists based on specific accusations and following due legal procedures if they are alleged to have committed any crimes.”
The Editors Council emphasizes that journalism devoid of professionalism, ethics, and integrity is unacceptable.
“Journalists who have supported various oppressive actions of the previous government in the name of journalism could be investigated by a committee formed by the Press Council. If any are found guilty, they could face penalties under the Press Council laws. For other offenses, they could be prosecuted according to conventional laws based on recommendations from the Press Council.”
The efforts of the previous government to suppress journalists’ voices through repressive laws like DSA/CSA and harassment through arrests were widely condemned and criticized on the global stage.
The current trend of filing continuous murder cases against journalists is also damaging the interim government’s image internationally, the statement added.
In this context, the Editors Council calls for a thorough review of these cases and urges the swift dismissal of charges if no relevant evidence is found against the accused journalists.