NEW YORK: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) criticised the arrest of a Kashmir-based journalist, and called on India for his “immediate and unconditional” release and to end its crackdown on journalistic freedoms in the occupied region.
“The arrest of Fahad Shah shows Jammu and Kashmir authorities’ utter disregard for press freedom and the fundamental right of journalists to report freely and safely,” Steven Butler, CPJ’s Asia programme coordinator, said.
“Authorities must immediately release Fahad Shah, and all other journalists behind bars, and cease detaining and harassing journalists for simply doing their jobs,” he added.
#Kashmir: Authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Fahad Shah (@pzfahad), drop any investigation into his work, and cease detaining members of the press.https://t.co/prC1jp3pgD
— CPJ Asia (@CPJAsia) February 4, 2022
According to reports, authorities arrested Shah, editor of the online news portal The Kashmir Walla, at a police station in the southern city of Pulwama where he had been summoned earlier that day for questioning.
In a statement, police claimed Shah had been identified among “some Facebook users and [news] portals” that had published “anti-national content,” but did not mention any specific content.
A first information report (FIR), which CPJ reviewed, said Fahad Shah is being investigated for alleged sedition and making statements causing public mischief, both crimes under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and unlawful activities under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
“If charged and convicted of those offenses, he could face up to seven years imprisonment under Indian law.”
Before his detention, Shah told CPJ in a phone interview that police had questioned him on February 1 about The Kashmir Walla’s coverage of a gunfight between pro-freedom fighters and government forces on January 30, which was published on the outlet’s website and its official Facebook page.
Shah has also repeatedly advocated for the release of Sajad Gul, a contributor to The Kashmir Walla, on his Twitter, where he has about 55,000 followers.
Gul was arrested on January 5, as CPJ documented at the time. He was granted bail on January 15, but police filed another dossier against him on the following day and he remains in detention, according to news reports.
CPJ said it repeatedly called Kashmir Police Director-General Dilbag Singh and Pulwama Police Senior Superintendent Ghulam Geelani, and contacted them via messaging app for comment, but did not receive any replies.
