International Human Rights Organization (IHRO) apprehends that “Aj Di Awaaz” (Voice of Today), a Jalandhar-based Punjabi newspaper, may be forced into silence by the State government of Punjab as its office has been raided, searched and its managing trustees, editor and staff members arrested under TADA (Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act). IHRO strongly believes that this has been done be- cause this newspaper has been reporting the state government’s excesses and police brutality in the recent past.
A Jalandhar police squad took into custody newspaper’s managing trustee Jasbir Singh Rode, trustco Kuldip Singh, Managing Editor Gurdip Singh, receptionist Malkiat Singh and four other staff members during a five-hour raid and search operation in the newspaper office on January 11,1994. All eight were locked in a store room until whisked away in an unmarked van to an unknown place. Other staff members were held in the typing room. Sub editor Harpreet Singh and Mr. Bhuttar were forced to lay on the floor during this operation and the premises were completely scaled off for many hours. The United News of India, a news agency, reported that “the police personnel disconnected the telephone, locked up the 12 staff members in one room and then took away people without showing any arrest warrant and assigning any reason for their detention.”
According to the General manager of the newspaper, Sahib Singh Sandhu, Managing Editor Gurdip Singh was called by Additional Deputy Commissioner about 12 days ago to stop publishing “objection- able matter.”
Although, police had arrested eight persons, only six of them were produced before a magistrate on January 12,1994, who remanded them in police custody for 13 days. Malkiat Singh and Gurdip Singh were not produced in the court and authorities denied their arrests to their relatives and the press representatives. Many journalists and human rights activists protested the disappearance of Gurdip Singh. Four prominent editors of other newspapers issued a joint protest statement urging the state of administration to direct the police to release the two persons or produce them in court. On January 20,1994, a peaceful demonstration was organized by journalists and other press representatives in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office at Jalandhar. This protest demonstration was joined by many political and human rights leaders. The peace- ful demonstrations were manhandled and beaten by the police squads. Due to public pressure, the police produced Gurdip Singh and Malkiat Singh in court on January 23,1994. They were shown arrested under TADA. SSP Sanjiv Gupta announced at a press conference on January 22 that arrests were made on the night of January 21 when the “accused” were trying to sneak into the news- paper office. They have been charged for having “links with ISI (Pakistan s Intelligence Agency)” and allegedly planning “militant attacks”. Under TADA, a person can be detained without formal charge or trial, for upto one year for suspected terrorist or disruptive activities. All court – hearings are conducted in secret. The court can keep identity of any witness secret, and confessions are used as evidence if the police confirm that they were voluntary.
IHRO has documented many cases of other lawyers and journalists who have disappeared in the hands of police. Many times police have denied the arrests of these individuals. Journalists Ram Singh Billing of Aj Di Awaaz and Avtar Singh Mander of Ajit newspaper are missing since many months. Justice Ajit Singh Bains, a 72 year old former High Court judge and human rights activist had been in jail under TADA for many months.
D.S.Gill, Chairman, IHRO, has condemned the arrest of Gurdip Singh and his colleagues and said, “We call it an attack on the freedom of the press and urge the world opinion to raise their voice against India’s onslaught on the press.”
IHRO is deeply concerned about the safety of these individuals in police custody and feels that they have been prevented from having a proper legal representation. This harassment of the press representatives is clearly done to suppress any criticism of government policies. IHRO representatives in India and US call upon the United States government and Members of Congress to raise their voice against this brutality so that the freedom of the press can be restored in India, particularly in Punjab. The organization also appeals to the international community to pressurize the Government of India to allow legitimate political activity in Punjab.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 25, 1994
