The case lodged under the Public Safety Act (PSA) against Kashmiri journalist Fahad Shah was quashed by the High Court of JK and Ladakh on Thursday. Fahad, the editor of Kashmir Walla magazine, is currently lodged in Kot Bhalwal jail of Jammu.
On February 4, 2022, the police had arrested Shah, accusing him of glorifying militancy, spreading fake news and inciting violence. He was given bail in two cases. In March, the PSA case was slapped before he could get bail in the third case. The police had also said that three separate First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against Fahad.
“Fahad Shah is wanted in three cases for glorifying terrorism, spreading fake news and inciting general public for creating law and order situations: FIR No. 70/2020 of PS Safakadal Srinagar, FIR No. 06/2021 of PS Imamsahib, Shopian and FIR No. 19/2022 of PS Pulwama,” the police statement had mentioned.
Jammu and Kashmir Police later booked him under the public safety act and shifted him to central jail in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
Earlier, various international press freedom bodies and rights groups demanded the journalist’s release on an immediate basis.
Journalists, Siddique Kappan of Kerala and Manan Dar of Kashmir, who were also mentioned in CPJ report, were released on bail recently. Dar was released on January 2, 2023, and Kappan on February 2, 2023.
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