Editors Guild of India condemns FIR against reporter covering students' protest in Kerala

New Delhi [India], December 30 : The Editors Guild of India (EGI) has expressed deep concern over the registration of an FIR by the Kerala police against a regional television channel reporter in connection with its coverage of a students' protest early this month where shoes were hurled at a bus carrying chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
"The Editors Guild of India is deeply disturbed by the registration of a First Information Report (FIR), by the Kerala police, against a reporter of the television channel 24 News in connection with her coverage of a students' protest on December 10 that resulted in shoes being hurled at a bus carrying the chief minister and some of his cabinet colleagues," the EGI said in a statement on Friday.
"It has been brought to our notice that the police in Kuruppampady have charged the reporter Vinitha V.G. for criminal conspiracy under Section 120B and issued her a notice to appear for interrogation," the statement said.
The EGI, while condemning any act of violence, strongly deplores the police action against the reporter.
The EGI, in its official statement, emphasised that covering protests is a media responsibility and not a criminal act, and the reporter's presence at a protest site does not implicate her in any untoward incident.
"The Editors Guild of India urges the Government of Kerala to desist from punishing the reporter for discharging her professional duty. It would do well to instruct the police to withdraw the charges against the reporter, and uphold norms of press freedom," read the press release.