Police to collect information on Journalists

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 December 2002, 11:18 GMT]
Inspector General of Police (IGP), T.E. Anandarajah, has directed all Police stations to collect details of journalists working in their respective areas to enable the police personnel to develop 'close understanding' and 'mutually beneficial relationship' with the journalists, sources said.

In a circular addressed to the Inspector-in-charge of Police stations, the IGP instructed the Police to record the name, address and telephone numbers of every journalist working in the area covered by the police station.

"Regular press briefings should be organized and sustained effort made to develop good understanding between the journalists and the police officers," the circular further said.

The IGP also said in the circular that all complaints of threats and harassment to the journalists should be promptly addressed.

The records of information of journalists should be collected immediately and kept in each Police station, the IGP stressed in the circular.