ISHFAQ-UL-HASSAN
SRINAGAR, APRIL 20
Shock and anger have gripped the media after Jammu and Kashmir police booked a young woman photojournalist under stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for “uploading anti-national posts” on Facebook.
Masrat Zahra, a freelance photojournalist, and documentary photographer, whose work has been published in reputed national and international newspapers and magazines including Washington Post, The Caravan, The Sun, Al Jazeera and others has been booked by Cyber Police Station, Kashmir Zone, under section 13 of UAPA and 505 of the Indian Penal Code.
“Cyber Police Station received information through reliable sources that one Facebook user namely Masrat Zahra is uploading anti-national posts with criminal intention to induce the youth and to promote offences against public tranquillity,” said a police spokesman in a statement.
The Facebook user, the spokesman said, is also believed to be uploading photographs that can provoke the public to disturb law and order. “The user is also uploading posts that tantamount to glorify the anti-national activities and dent the image of law enforcing agencies besides causing disaffection against the country,” he said.
Police also cautioned general public against posting any inflammatory content on social media. “General public is advised to refrain from misuse of social media platforms and circulation of unauthenticated information through such platforms. Any person found indulging in such activities will be dealt with strictly under law,” said the spokesman.
Masrat was unavailable for comment as she had switched off her phone. She had updated her Twitter 14 hours ago. “I am slowly learning what it means to be human. What it means to make mistakes and learn from them. How to stop running from what is heavy and uncomfortable in my life. How to understand that I cannot control life. I am slowly learning how to laugh and cry and feel through it all,” she last tweeted.
Kashmir Press Club vice-president Moazum Mohammad took to twitter demanding the withdrawal of FIR against Masrat Zahra. “Masrat Zahra, a professional photojournalist, has honestly told stories of Kashmir in a 4-year career. Invoking UAPA is outrageous. In solidarity with our colleague, we demand FIR withdrawn. Journalism isn’t crime. Intimidation/ censorship won’t silence Kashmir’s journalists,”, he tweeted.
The case was registered at a time when another reputed journalist working with a national newspaper was summoned by the police.
Soon after police lodged the case, hashtags #IStandWith MasratZehra, #journalismisnotacrime #summonusall’, started buzzing on Twitter.
“In any democracy, Media is the fourth pillar of strength. What democracy is India shaping when it jails and blames a young, professional, woman photojournalist for capturing the most militarized zone in the world? #Journalismisnotacrime #IStandWithMasratZehra,” tweeted Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This is not the first time that journalists have been booked or detained by the security agencies. In February, Kashmir Press Club said the government was not enabling journalists and media to operate freely from the Valley. This followed the summoning and questioning of two journalists by the police for carrying the statement of banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).
(ISHFAQ-UL-HASSAN is indiatomorrow.net Correspondent)
