Srinagar Feb 5: Police on Saturday said that journalist Fahad Shah who was arrested a day ago is “wanted in 3 cases for glorifying terrorism, spreading fake news & inciting general public for creating L&O situations”.
Fahad Shah is wanted in 3 cases for glorifying terrorism, spreading fake news & inciting general public for creating L&O situations: FIR No. 70/2020 of PS Safakadal Srinagar, FIR No. 06/2021 of PS Imamsahib, Shopian & currently has been arrested in FIR No. 19/2022 of PS Pulwama.
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) February 5, 2022
“Fahad Shah is wanted in 3 cases for glorifying terrorism, spreading fake news & inciting general public for creating L&O situations: FIR No. 70/2020 of PS Safakadal Srinagar, FIR No. 06/2021 of PS Imamsahib, Shopian & currently has been arrested in FIR No. 19/2022 of PS Pulwama, ” a police spokesman said in a statement.
Shah, editor of The Kashmir Walla portal, was arrested for allegedly “sharing anti-national content on social media” as per police.
“It was reliably learnt by Pulwama Police that some Facebook users and portals have been uploading anti national content including photographs, videos and posts with criminal intention to create fear among public and the content so uploaded can provoke the public to disturb law & order,” said a police spokesman, in a statement.
“It was also learnt that these Facebook users are uploading such posts which tantamount to glorifying the terrorist activities and causing dent to the image of law enforcing agencies besides causing ill-will & disaffection against the country.”
“As the aforementioned activities by some of the Facebook users amounts to commission of cognizable offences by them, accordingly Pulwama Police while taking cognizance of the matter registered a case vide FIR No. 19/2022 under relevant sections of the law and initiated the investigation,” read the statement further.
Meanwhile, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Asia urged J&K administration to “immediately and unconditionally release journalist Fahad Shah, drop any investigation into his work, and cease detaining members of the press”.
“The arrest of Fahad Shah shows Jammu and Kashmir authorities’ utter disregard for press freedom and the fundamental right of journalists to report freely and safely,” said Steven Butler, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator, in Washington, D.C.