Kashmiri journalist Fahad Shah was arrested for a second time on February 26 after being granted bail earlier that same day for his February 4 arrest. According to the police in Pulwama, where Shah first was arrested, this new case is registered in Shopian, where Shah was transferred to.
As IPI previously reported, Shah was initially arrested on February 4 “on the basis of one of the three first information reports lodged against him for frequently glorifying terrorism, spreading fake news, and instigating people, for the past three to four years”, according to Inspector General Vijay Kumar. The case in Shopian was lodged against him in 2021. He has been initially charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, an anti-terrorism law.
According to media reports, a National Investigative Agency court granted Shah interim bail until March 12, but then he was transferred to Shopian. The court initially said he would be released on February 26.
IPI renews its call for Shah’s immediate release. On February 14, IPI joined 57 other rights groups and publications urging the lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir to release Shah and all other journalists, including Sajad Gul, Aasif Sultan, and Manan Gular Dar. The government must stop its retaliatory actions against Shah and all other journalists in Indian-administered Kashmir.