300 signatories sign Open Letter by FPA to remove charges for journalists covering Tory Party Conference

The Foreign Press Association (FPA) has published an Open Letter asking the Conservative Party Press Office to remove charges for journalists covering the Tory Party Conference in Autumn. Almost 300 signatories, among the most important news organisations in the world, have signed it. In the open letter, the FPA wrote, “The Foreign Press Association in London, representing international correspondents in print, online, and broadcast media from all over the world, is fiercely opposed to the charging of journalists to attend the Tory Party Conference this Autumn.” The FPA stated that it believes that a fundamental tenet of a free and democratic society is allowing journalists – from all over the world - to freely report on matters of public interest. We have not found any comparable charges in any other country in the world, let alone in any other democracy.“It is a shame that the UK, part of the Media Freedom Coalition, co-organiser of the very first Media Freedom Conference in the world, a country with a proud tradition of press independence, should be the first to effectively tax journalists for doing their job. As observers of this country we feel the need to speak out,” the letter read. The FPA further added, “In fact, this decision sets a dangerous precedent for countries all over the world who will use this decision to justify financial and other barriers to media scrutiny of the political process.”To protect press freedom, the FPA is therefore calling upon the Tory party conference organisers to scrap or refund the charges and allow fair and free reporting for all.Some of the Indian signatories include prestigious publications and agencies like, Ananda Bazar Patrika, Bartaman, The Hindu, India Today and Press Trust of India.