Laxman Choudhury is still facing a sedition charge because police found Maoist leaflets in his possession.
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders is relieved that journalist Laxman Choudhury of the daily “Sambad” was finally freed on bail on 3 December 2009 after being held for ten weeks in Gajapati district, in the eastern state of Orissa. Released on the orders of the Orissa high court, he is still facing a sedition charge because the local police found Maoist leaflets in his possession.
On leaving prison, Choudhury thanked all of his colleagues who campaigned for his release. Reporters Without Borders wrote to the governor of Orissa state on 6 November requesting his release. The press freedom organisation also helped his family.
Reporters Without Borders has meanwhile interviewed A.S. Mani, the editor of the Tamil weekly “Naveena Netrikkan”, who was released on 27 November after being held for a month in Chennai prison, in the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu, on a defamation charge.
