Srinagar : Cyber Police station Kashmir zone has lodged an FIR against a writer-journalist Gowhar Geelani on Tuesday night. The statemen by the J&K Police added that several complaints have also been received against the said individual for threatening and intimidation. A Case FIR No. 11/2020 under the relevant sections of law has been registered at Cyber Police Station Kashmir and investigation initiated. It's 3rd FIR in a row against Kashmiri Journalist in past few days.
The Print quoted a senior law enforcement officer saying that authorities have been “compiling information” about Geelani’s social media action for some time now and the said individual found indulging in unlawful routines as a result of his posts and writings on Social Media. “The unlawful routines incorporate glorifying terrorism in Kashmir Valley, creating disaffection in opposition to the nation and creating panic or alarm in the minds of community that may perhaps lead to offences against general public tranquillity, security and sovereignty of India.” However, law enforcement didn’t specify which posts of Geelani have been anti-countrywide.
The official assertion issued by the police did not cite the sections below which Geelani was booked but sources in the known explained they are identical to those related with Masrat Zahra; a freelance photojournalist earlier booked under draconian (UAPA) by Cyber police Kashmir zone.
The amended UAPA allows the government to criminalize individuals as terrorists and empowers officers of the National Investigation Agency to probe cases. A person charged under the act can be jailed for up to seven years.
Geelani is a journalist of repute and has been contributing to the BBC, The Federal, Scroll.in, DailyO, and other publications. He also served Deutsche Welle as an editor for several years in Germany and wrote a remarkable book "Kashmir: Rage and Reason". After charges being slapped against him, in a facebook post he wrote:
Global human rights watchdog Amnesty International demanded that the Indian government stop “intimidation” of journalists in Jammu and Kashmir expressing concern over appalling condition of media in Kashmir.
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