Indiscriminate cancellation of press accreditation cards hinders press freedom: Editors' Council

The Editors’ Council views the cancellation of press accreditation cards of several journalists as a serious threat to press freedom and an impediment to fostering a democratic environment.

This statement was issued on Tuesday by Mahfuz Anam, President of the Editors' Council, and Dewan Hanif Mahmud, the Council's General Secretary.

According to the statement, Press Information Department (PID) has revoked the accreditation cards of 167 journalists in three separate phases.

The list includes many professional and active journalists, as well as editors, raising significant concerns among the Editors’ Council and its members.

The Editors' Council acknowledges that the Ministry of Information has the right to review any misuse of press accreditation.

However, the cancellation of press accreditation cards without specific allegations or evidence of wrongdoing poses a serious threat to press freedom and undermines the foundations of a democratic environment.

This action risks fostering a regulatory climate that promotes media censorship, which runs counter to the spirit of the July-August uprising.

The Editors' Council views this move as a troubling return to the undemocratic practices of the past, characterised by an overly restrictive regulatory framework.

In light of this, the Editors' Council urges the Ministry of Information to refrain from taking such sweeping actions without clear evidence of misconduct or formal complaints.

Furthermore, the Council calls for an immediate halt to all attacks on the media and for concrete steps to be taken to safeguard independent and democratic journalism.