Published: 12:28 AM, 26 February 2026
Editors' Council urges govt to drop harassment cases against journalists
The Editors' Council on Wednesday urged the government to withdraw false and harassing cases filed against journalists.
In a statement, the council said that since August 5, 2024, many journalists have been falsely accused in murder and other cases. Some journalists are still in jail, while others are being forced to appear in court regularly.
"These cases are seriously obstructing journalists' professional work and harming the independent environment of the media," the statement said.
It said that if there are specific and evidence-based allegations against any journalist, those should be dealt with under existing laws through a transparent judicial process.
The Editors' Council said that in the interest of justice, proper investigation and due legal process must be ensured. "But harassment and motivated cases are not acceptable under any circumstances."
The council mentioned that it had repeatedly requested the interim government to withdraw the false and motivated cases and to take effective steps to stop the harassment of journalists.
"The interim government assured us that the cases would be reviewed and that steps would be taken to withdraw false and harassing cases. But unfortunately, we have not seen the expected progress in this matter," the statement added.
The council strongly urged the newly elected government to treat the issue as a priority and to take swift steps to withdraw the cases filed against journalists.
It reiterated that ensuring media freedom and professional safety is a fundamental commitment of a democratic state and expressed hope that the government would act accordingly.
