Imphal: The All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) and the Editors’ Guild of Manipur while expressing their objection to the arrest of a senior member and former president of AMWJU urged the government to release him.
In the press note, the two apex journalist bodies said that arresting Wangkhemcha Shyamjai, who is also the Chief Editor of Kangleipaki Meira on the charge of publishing a false report without allowing him to explain himself, “is unfortunate”.
Stating that to err is human, even if a false report has been published, he should be given a chance to clarify, the press note urged for his early release.
The press note also urged state journalists to take extreme care while collecting information during the ongoing crisis. The two media bodies also urged the editors to publish a report only after ascertaining their veracity.
Meanwhile, the Paomee Welfare Foundation (PWF), a welfare trust for members of the All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU), has also expressed its dismay over the arrest of Wangkhemcha Shyamjai, who is the current chairperson of PWF.
Shamjai was picked up by the police on Friday morning (Dec 29) from his residence on the strength of FIR no. 903(12)2023 IPS U/S-153/153-A/505(1)(b)/505(2) IPC, for an article published in Kangleipakki Meira, a vernacular evening daily, of which Shaymjai is the chief editor.
The PWF believes that if the said article questions the government’s role in the current ethnic crisis and has reported an incident that had not taken place, a defamatory lawsuit and not an arrest without trial should have been resorted so that due process of law was allowed to weigh his guilt or innocence before a penalty is awarded.
PWF hence demands the immediate and unconditional release of Wangkhemcha Shyamjai from police custody and due process of law is allowed to decide the case.
