No country for journos? Bar association suspends mediapersons' lawyers

The bar association sent a notice to the nine lawyers, intimating them of their suspension The action was taken against the lawyers who had accepted Vakalatnama from mediapersons There has been friction between lawyers and mediapersons in Kerala for the last one year or so

The Thiruvananthapuram Bar Association has reportedly suspended nine lawyers who appeared for mediapersons in various cases across the state.

The action was taken against the lawyers who had accepted Vakalatnama from journalists and other mediapersons in recent months. 

The bar association sent a notice to the nine lawyers, intimating them of their suspension. The notice said that by representing mediapersons, the lawyers violated the rules and directions of the bar association's general body.

A general body meeting of the association, scheduled for Tuesday, will take a decision on further action. The notice also states that the suspended lawyers can offer their explanation in the meeting.

There has been friction between lawyers and mediapersons in Kerala for the last one year or so.

Back in July, a section of lawyers of the Kerala High Court had manhandled journalists within the court's premises, questioning the massive coverage given to a case where a government pleader was accused of molesting a woman in public.

The issue snowballed into a major controversy, with the police barring mediapersons from entering courts across the state citing safety issues, while there were also debates on threat to freedom of press.