Here’s what spokesperson of UN chief says over fact-checker Zubair’s arrest
Journalists should not be jailed for “what they write, what they tweet and what they say”
Referring to the arrest of AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair in India, a spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that Journalists should not be jailed for “what they write, what they tweet and what they say”. Adding further he said, “it is important that people be allowed to express themselves freely without the threat of any harassment.”
The Delhi Police arrested Zubair on Monday over an alleged “objectionable tweet” he had posted in 2018.
PTI quoted Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General as saying, “I think, first of all, in any place around the world, it is very important that people be allowed to express themselves freely, journalists be allowed to express themselves freely and without the threat of any harassment.” He told this while responding to a question on Zubair’s arrest at the daily news briefing.
In response to another question by a Pakistani journalist on whether he is also calling for Zubair’s release from custody Dujarric said “Journalists should not be jailed for what they write, what they tweet and what they say. And that goes for anywhere in the world, including in this room”.
Condemning Zubair’s arrest, a New York-based independent non-profit, non-governmental organisation Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) noted that the arrest of journalist Mohammad Zubair marks another low for press freedom in India. Steven Butler, CPJ’s Asia programme coordinator, in Washington, DC claimed that the government of India has created a hostile and unsafe environment for members of the press reporting on sectarian issues. He calls for immediate and unconditional release of Zubair.
