SHILLONG: Crowd-funding has been initiated to fund the legal defence of The Shillong Times editor Patricia Mukhim and publisher Shobha Chaudhuri.
Earlier, Mukhim and Chaudhuri were fined by the Meghalaya High Court to the tune of Rs 2 lakh each in a contempt case.
The group, Meghalaya People’s Committee to Defend Free Press and Freedom of Expression, has made an appeal to join it to crowdfund the legal defence of the editor and publisher.
The group stated that it is not because the two cannot afford to fight the case but they asserted that free press is a public good and the citizens ought to join the fight.
The South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) India is concerned by the order of the Court in a suo motu contempt proceeding initiated against the editor and publisher.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the organisation said the Court in its order on March 8 had held them guilty of contempt of court for publishing two stories in December, 2018 relating to a court order which sought better facilities for retired judges, their spouses and children.
“SAWM is deeply concerned by this order which has a strong bearing on journalistic freedom and also discourages journalists to report freely and fearlessly,” the statement said.
It is the job of the media, as the fourth pillar of Democracy to report court proceedings and to put current developments in perspective and also to provide alternate points of view.
“In a vibrant democracy like ours, media can only flourish, if the government and judiciary encourage freedom of expression and respect journalistic freedom. Mukhim, who is also a member of SAWM, is a senior journalist widely respected for her contributions to media and to society and we stand by Mukhim and Chaudhuri in their struggle to uphold their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms,” the organisation stated.
The SAWM urged the judiciary to protect and preserve the rights and freedom of the media.
