ATTACK ON ATANU BHUYAN

Source: RSF
Type(s) of violation(s): detained


(RSF/IFEX) - According to information released by RSF on 18 May 1998, Dhiren Chakravarty and Atanu Bhuyan, editor and executive editor respectively, of the Guwahati-based daily "Ajir Batori", were woken up and arrested at 3:00 a.m. (local time) on Friday 15 May, by Assam state policemen (in the northwestern state of Assam). They are charged with defaming Parliament and its members after the publication, on 21 March 1998, of an article critical of Parliament. They were taken to the Assembly to bow down before the deputies. After they refused to do so, the Speaker ordered the two journalists to be jailed for one day. 

Earlier, in April 1998, Atanu Bhuyan was physically assaulted by unidentified men at his house. The attackers are believed to have links with the Assamese ruling party. 

RSF is very worried by these new infringements of press freedom. Dhiren Chakravarty and Atanu Bhuyan are, at least, the third and fourth journalists arrested in the last five months. (http://www.northeastvigil.com/media/intmedia.htm)
1998 World Press Freedom Review

On 15 May 1998, Dhiren Chakravarty and Atanu Bhuyan, editor and executive editor respectively, of the Guwahati-based daily Ajir Batori, were woken up in the middle of the night and arrested by the local policemen.

They were charged with defaming assembly and its members in an article published two months previously. They were asked to stand with heads bowed down before the deputies in the assembly in punishment. When they refused to do so they were jailed for 24 hours. Atanu Bhuyan was physically assaulted by unidentified men at his house earlier in the year. The attack is believed to have been instigated by those at the helm of the local government.(http://www.freemedia.at/wpfr/india.htm)

HOUSE JAILS `AJIR BATORI' EDITOR, OTHERS FOR A DAY [S:17-MAY-98]
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In an unprecedented development in the legislative history of Assam,
the Speaker of the Assam Assembly Ganesh Kutum on May 16 sentenced
the editor of `Ajir Batori', an Assamese daily published from the
city, Dhirendra Nath Chakravarty; the executive editor, Atanu Bhuyan;
the owner Rajendra Prasad Bora and the printer and publisher Pranab
Kumar Talukdar to one day's simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs.100
each for having breached the privilege of the House through a
write-up under the caption `Mahanta Dangoria, Xexat Apuni Smritixakio
Heruale je!' on March 21. The police took them all to jail.(http://piglet.uccs.edu/~kalita/assam/news/1998/1998-05-18.html)