Dhananjay Mahapatra,TNN | Aug 19, 2015

NEW DELHI: To protest against states' failure to bring to book perpetrators of violence against journalists, the Press Council of India (PCI) wants media to protest symbolically by blacking out news for two minutes on November 2 every year.

"The PCI may proclaim November 2 as the National Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ask all newsrooms across the country to observe two-minute silence in newsrooms," it said in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court in the case of UP journalist Jagendra Singh's murder.

Requesting the SC to lay down guidelines on safety of journalists, the PCI said, "Journalists reporting sensitive stories are in the position of whistleblowers who are entitled to protection. Safety of journalists requires the highest priority to protect the freedom of speech as also the freedom of information available to every citizen under article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution."

The print media regulatory body said around 80 journalists were killed in the last two decades but almost all cases were pending trial. "In states like Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, not a single person was convicted for killing or attacking journalists. In these states, more than 60 journalists were killed in the last two decades," it said.

The PCI said it has recommended to the government for enacting a law to deal with crimes against journalists. It said in the absence of a specific law, cases relating to such offences keep pending in trial courts, which are already inundated under an avalanche of pending cases.

Source Times of India To Read more Click Here