Wednesday, May 4 2005 09:37 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Despite the repeal of anti-terror law Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), civil liberties in India are still at risk as the subsequent amendments to the Act have raised new problems, the Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) claimed yesterday (May 3, 2005).

"Civil liberties in India are still at risk," IFJ, the world's largest body representing journalists yesterday said in a report on the occasion of the 15th annual World Press Freedom Day.

Welcoming the Centre's decision to repeal the controversial POTA, the world-body said it was "a case of two steps forward and two steps back".

"The subsequent promulgation of amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, which although designed to incorporate the essential provisions of anti-terrorism law, raised new problem," it alleged.

"Despite improvements, the new regulations include some provisions of the old POTA that were repeatedly misused. This may continue under the amended law," the 56-page report, which was co-written with British civil liberties group Statewatch, charged.

In particular, the report noted, "vague definition of terrorist acts remained" and criticised a provision of the amended law which permitted unlimited interceptions of communications by law enforcement officers.

Meanwhile, the International News Safety Institute (INSI) in Brussels yesterday formally launched a global inquiry into the rising death toll among journalists worldwide, a report said.

The probe will be led by an expert Committee of Inquiry comprising news organisations, individual journalists, journalist support groups and legal experts.