On Thursday, #Justice4AsifSultan is trending on twitter as Kashmiri Journalist Aasif Sutan as completed more than 1100 days in Jail.
Several international organizations including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has 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.
Sultan (34) covered politics and human rights for Kashmir Narrator.
Last year, CPJ along with 400 journalists had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding his immediate release.
The group had said: “Interviewing alleged militants or having sources that are critical of the government is within the scope of a journalist’s job and does not implicate them in any crime. Events in Kashmir are of public interest, and covering them is a public service, not a criminal act.”
In February, this year, the Clooney Foundation for Justice said that they will monitor Asif’s case closely through its Trial Watch programme.
“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,” they said in a statement.