Handcuffed and tied to chain. Pic from The Hindu

A Karnataka journalist, B. V. Seetaram, has been arrested in a defamation case, while he claims being targeted for his newspaper Karavali Ale‘s anti-Sangh coverage (see The Hindu report here). Another The Hindu report stated that he was presented in court handcuffed and shackled, which was, according to Seetaram’s lawyer Shashikanth Shetty, “gross violation of human rights”:

He said the Supreme Court had made the following observation in its judgment in the Citizens for Democracy v/s State of Assam case (AIR 1996, Page 2193): “Handcuffing and chaining in public degrades and puts to shame finer sensibilities, and is a slur on our culture. Handcuffing shall be shunned as violative of human dignity within and without prison.” (link)

The Press Council chairman Justice G.N. Ray has asked the state Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to address the grievances of Karavali Ale. In a separate letter, the Council also asked for a report from the Chief Secretary on the latest situation. The state Home Minister B.V. Acharya, has denied allegations that Karavali Ale and its editor were being targeted. He is reported to have said that Seetaram’s “writings were bordering on yellow journalism and disturbed the peace in the region”… “and that he was indulging in “character assassination and blackmailing.”

References

“Karnataka journalist held in defamation case, handcuffed”, The Hindu, Jan 06, 2009, S. Bageshree, Link

“‘Handcuffing is gross violation of human rights’”, The Hindu, 06 Jan 2009, Staff Correspondent, Link