The International Press Institute (IPI) wrote a letter to the Director General of the West Bengal Police raising concerns over a criminal complaint filed against Maktoob Media over the outlet’s reporting on statements made by a public official. IPI has called on the Director General to withdraw the FIR and cease the use of legal mechanisms to harass and intimidate independent media.
Dear Mr. Director General,
On behalf of the International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of publishers, editors and leading journalists dedicated to defending media freedom, I am writing to you to express our concern over a First Information Report (FIR) filed by West Bengal Police over social media posts made by Maktoob Media, whose editor is an IPI member.
Registered on September 19, the FIR concerns social media posts in which Maktoob reported on public statements made by MP Mahua Moitra alleging religious discrimination against Muslim officers during Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent visits to West Bengal state.
IPI is concerned that the FIR invokes several sections of the BNS, including the alleged promotion of enmity, outrage of religious feelings, and statements causing public mischief and defamation, despite the fact that the MP’s statements were made publicly, and have been reported on widely. Maktoob’s reporting on a serious allegation made by a public official is not a crime; it is the role of the free press to report independently on matters of the public interest such as these.
We have also learned from Maktoob that police have not informed the outlet directly that an FIR has been filed against them. Instead, they found out about the FIR from communications from the social media platform X, after West Bengal Police requested Maktoob’s account details. This lack of transparency from authorities is also deeply concerning.
Independent reporting is necessary to the functioning of democracy, and I am sure you will agree that media outlets must not be punished for reporting information already in the public domain that concerns the public interest. We therefore urge you to immediately withdraw the FIR and ensure that no infringement on Maktoob’s media freedom results from this inquiry.
IPI stands with our colleagues at Maktoob as we continue to follow this matter closely. Thank you once again for your attention to this important situation.
Sincere regards,
Scott Griffen, Executive Director
International Press Institute