The long incarcerated journalist Asif Sultan was, on Sunday, booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
One of his family members confirmed to The Kashmiriyat that Asif had been booked under the draconian PSA and shifted to the Kot Bhalwal jail of Jammu.
It is pertinent to mention that Asif, who has been incarcerated since August 2018 was granted bail by a court in Srinagar on April 05, 2022.
However, he was immediately taken in for questioning by the CIK, after which he has been taken into detention under the PSA, again.
Asif had been languishing in Central Jail, Srinagar for almost four years. Several international organizations including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) have demanded the immediate release of Aasif Sultan who worked as an editor with Kashmir-based news magazine- Kashmir Narrator.
Sultan who was arrested on August 27, 2018, has been repeatedly denied bail. His trial began in June 2019 and has been moving at a slow pace, CPJ said.
Sultan was detained during a nocturnal raid from his home in Batamaloo area of Srinagar on charges of ‘harbouring militants’ and subsequently booked under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Sultan was accused in a case related to a gunfight that took place in the Batmaloo neighbourhood of Srinagar city.
In February 2021, the Clooney Foundation for Justice had said that they will monitor Asif’s case closely through its Trial Watch programme. In a statement, which came a day after a court hearing in Srinagar, regarding Sultan’s bail application.
“The Clooney Foundation for Justice calls on the authorities to ensure that Sultan’s bail hearing is conducted in accordance with international human rights law and any proceedings against him respect his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and to freedom of expression.”
Pertinently Sajad Gul, a freelance Journalist from Bandipora in north Kashmir who is currently detained under the Public Safety act has also been lodged in Jammu’s Kot Balwal jail.
Kashmiri Journalist, Fahad Shah is also incarcerated after being arrested on February 04. Fahad, now booked under PSA is lodged at the District jail of Kupwara.
Manan Gulzar Dar, another Kashmiri Journalist who was detained by the National Investigating Agency on October 10, is lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.