According to information released by RSF on 18 May 1998, Dhiren Chakravarty and Atanu Bhuyan, editor and executive editor respectively, of the Guwahati-based daily "Ajir Batori", were woken up and arrested at 3:00 a.m. (local time) on Friday 15 May, by Assam state policemen (in the northwestern state of Assam). They are charged with defaming Parliament and its members after the publication, on 21 March 1998, of an article critical of Parliament. They were taken to the Assembly to bow down before the deputies. After they refused to do so, the Speaker ordered the two journalists to be jailed for one day.
Earlier, in April 1998, Atanu Bhuyan was physically assaulted by unidentified men at his house. The attackers are believed to have links with the Assamese ruling party.
RSF is very worried by these new infringements of press freedom. Dhiren Chakravarty and Atanu Bhuyan are, at least, the third and fourth journalists arrested in the last five months.
