Imphal: The All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) and Editors’ Guild Manipur (EGM) have denounced the threat and intimidation directed at one of its members by armed miscreants on Friday.
According to reports, a group of around 10 individuals brandishing weapons confronted local reporter Khumanthem Dhanachandra, also a member of AMWJU’s RTI Cell, at his residence in Naoremthong Laishram Leikai around 8:45 PM on Thursday.
The threat allegedly came in response to an article published by Imphal Times, an English daily.
In a tweet, Imphal Times highlighted the incident, stating, “Imphal Times journalist’s life in danger; AMWJU and EGM condemn attack by gunmen in a brazen attempt to stifle the freedom of expression.”
Expressing grave concern over the incident, a joint statement issued by AMWJU and EGM disclosed that an emergency meeting was convened at the Manipur Press Club to address the matter.
The journalists’ union has called upon the state government to initiate legal action against the armed miscreants within the next five days. They warned of launching strong protests if the government fails to act swiftly in response to the incident.
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Terming the attempt to silence the media as unfortunate, EGM and AMWJU urged all relevant authorities to take decisive legal actions against those responsible for threatening the reporter at his residence.
Furthermore, the statement appealed to all concerned parties to refrain from intimidating media persons and to abide by the code of conduct established by AMWJU. It emphasized that individuals or groups dissatisfied with news coverage could address their grievances through proper channels, including contacting the media firm, the concerned editor, or AMWJU and EGM.
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