Manipur High Court revokes NSA detention of journalist Kishorchandra

Manipur-based journalist Kishorchandra Wangkhem, who was detained by the administration under the National Security Act and have been serving the jail since last three months, will be released after the Manipur High Court’s order.

The High Court has revoked his detention, under the NSA Act and it will be a relief for his family. The courts order will be available soon and he would also be released in a few days from now.

Kishorchandra, who worked for a cable TV network, was arrested after he criticized the BJP and PM Narendra Modi and also allegedly used “abusive” words against CM N Biren Singh.

On November 27 last year, Kishorechandra posted a video wherein he had severely criticized the government and compared the freedom movement of Manipur with the Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi.

Inside the video, Kishorechandra had also challenged the state government “to arrest him if it can” for “opposing the government”. He was thereafter arrested under the NSA Act and have been serving in jail since 2018.

American Bar Association Centre for Human Rights has expressed its concern over the arrest of journalist and while issuing a statement said that, “Police documents, the NSA Arrest Order, and submissions by the government during the habeas corpus proceedings improperly cite legitimate expressions of opinion - Facebook videos in which Mr. Wangkhem cursed and criticized the ruling party - as the predicate for detention. As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, India is required to protect the right to freedom of expression, including the expression of unpopular opinions.”

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