Police registered a formal case under the Anti-Illegal Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against India’s Kashmir-based young journalist, Musarrat Zehra, against the Corona virus in lockdown.
Zahra has been active in Indian-administered Kashmir as a freelance journalist for the past several years and has worked for several Indian and international news organizations.
RecommendedMust Read
However, in the police statement, Zahra has been accused that through her various provocative posts have incited Kashmiri youths for anti-Indian armed insurrection. According to the police statement, Zahra posted a aggressive post on Facebook and linked the religious figure to the militants in a post.
The statement said that complaints were received from several constituencies that Musarrat posts content that may incite young people to become militant.
In the Indian-administered Kashmir, the seeking of journalists in the police station is a long process that has been going on for many years, but the action against Musarrat Zahra under UAPA law is the first of its kind. The law was approved by parliament last year and under the same law many human rights activists have been imprisoned in the valley.
Vice-President of the Kashmir Press Club, Azam Mohammed, says: “Working in Kashmir is dangerous, and at a time when journalists are working in the midst of banning the Internet and fear of the Corona virus, they have been banned here. Journalism is being restricted.”
