The International Federation of Journalists has condemned the harassment of three Kashmir-based journalists against whom Jammu Kashmir Police has lodged an FIR.
The Jammu Kashmir police opened criminal investigations against The Kashmiriyat reporter Mir Junaid and Yasraj of The Kashmir walla on January 30, while the administration filed another case against a third journalist on February 12.
The International Federation of Journalists has condemned the misuse of power and law against journalists in the region and calls on the Jammu Kashmir administration to immediately withdraw its case.
Police opened criminal investigations into Sharma and Junaid on January 30 for alleged incitement, while the region’s administration filed a First Information Report (FIR) against freelance journalist Sajad Gul on February 12 for “rioting, trespassing, and assault” accusing the journalist of taking part in a so-called illegal demonstration against home demolitions.
Mir Junaid of The Kashmiriyat and Yashraj Sharma were charged for their stories ‘Shopian school claims ‘We Were Forced to Celebrate the Republic Day Event by Forces and “pressure from the army to hold R-Day function’ respectively published on January 27, both reports revealed that schools in the Shopian district were heavied by the army to lend school space to mark a Republic Day function on January 26.
The Kashmiriyat spoke to two people from the school which included the chairperson of Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom, a religious school run by Jamaat e Islami in Shopian’s Imamsahib.
The army however claims the news report is ‘fake’ and baseless.
According to police, the (FIR) against Sharma and Junaid were filed under Section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and Section 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.
This was based on a complaint by unnamed army officials in the local army camp. If convicted, Sharma and Junaid may face up to three years in prison. Police booked freelance journalist Sajad Gul, from northern Kashmir’s Bandipora district, under Sections 147, 447 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code based on complaints by a land revenue tax officer (tehsildar)
The IFJ in its statement has said, “This is the latest in the series of incidents of the misuse of power and law to criminalize journalists by J&K police and its administration. The IFJ urges the Indian authorizes to withdraw the cases against the journalists Sharma, Junaid and Gul and respect the media’s right to report stories of critical public interest.”