Wed Dec 25 03:05:50 UTC 2024: ## Kerala Journalists Protest Police Demand for Reporter’s Phone
**KOCHI, KERALA – December 25, 2024** – The Kerala Union of Working Journalists staged a protest march in Kochi on Tuesday, decrying what they called an infringement on press freedom. The protest targeted a Crime Branch directive demanding a Malayalam daily journalist hand over his mobile phone for a story he had published.
The march, starting near the Press Club and halted by police barricades, was led by senior journalist and former MP Sebastian Paul. Paul condemned the police action, stating that pressuring the reporter to reveal his sources is an “anti-democratic” attack on media freedom. He emphasized the fundamental journalistic principle of protecting sources.
Ernakulam Press Club president R. Gopakumar presided over the protest, with secretary M. Shajil Kumar offering the vote of thanks. The incident highlights growing concerns about the potential chilling effect of government actions on investigative journalism in Kerala.
First Piper 