Photojournalist Masrat Zehra, who is currently in Germany on Saturday said that her parents in Srinagar are being constantly harassed by the authorities.
Taking to her Twitter handle, Masrat wrote, ” I am writing this thread after a while of contemplation. My family is being routinely harassed by the authorities in Kashmir. I cannot keep overlooking it and just uselessly hope for it to end. I am worried about the safety of my family.”
Masrat, who has been in Germany for her studies for the last 10 months said, ” During this time my family has been frequently pressured by the state authorities, asking my whereabouts and other information including, but not limited to, my photograph, Aadhar and PAN details.
She said that the harassment has caused panic among her family members. “My family, who are unaware of how these arbitrary systems work, are immensely worried as well. I feel helpless to the extent that writing about it on this space is my last hope,” Masrat tweeted.
“This is causing me a great deal of anxiety. I am already grappling with the difficulties of living far away from my family and this is just making this worse,” Masrat added.
In April 2020, Masrat Zahra was booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
The UAPA charges against Masarat Zahra attracted widespread criticism from activists, who alleged that registering the case amounts to intimidation and silencing of the press.
Masrat later went on to add two prestigious awards- Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism award from the International Women’s Media Foundation and Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism 2020.