New York [US], July 9 (ANI): Authorities in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) are facing criticism following the detention of journalist Syed Farhad Ali Shah, with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urging his immediate and unconditional release.
Shah was taken into custody after reporting on demonstrations organised by the recently outlawed Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), raising fresh concerns over media freedom in the region, as reported by CPJ.
According to CPJ, Shah, a journalist associated with the digital news platform Times of Kashmir, was arrested on June 20 in Bagh district under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, a preventive detention law that permits authorities to hold individuals without formal charges for up to six months.
A family member, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, stated that Shah was detained in Rawalakot after covering anti-government protests linked to JKJAAC.
According to his family, no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against the journalist, and he has not been produced before a court since his detention.
The use of preventive detention laws against journalists undermines due process and appears to be aimed at discouraging independent reporting on politically sensitive developments.
CPJ’s Afghanistan-Pakistan Representative, Waliullah Rahmani, said detaining journalists for reporting on public demonstrations sends a dangerous signal to the media.
He stated that covering protests and political events is a legitimate journalistic duty. He warned that such actions could intimidate reporters ahead of the July 27 regional elections in PoJK, as highlighted by CPJ. The arrest comes shortly after authorities banned JKJAAC on June 5 under anti-terrorism legislation.
The alliance had announced demonstrations opposing the allocation of 12 legislative seats reserved for refugees who migrated from India to Pakistan decades ago.
The protests escalated into widespread unrest, followed by a security crackdown that reportedly left at least 15 people dead, resulted in numerous arrests, and was accompanied by internet restrictions across parts of the region, as reported by CPJ. (ANI)
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