The police booked Masrat Zahra, whose work has been published by reputed news organisations as a freelance photojournalist, under draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for uploading what the police described as ‘anti-India’ posts.
“Yes, she has been booked for her Facebook posts that glorify militants. Her posts pose a threat to law and order and spread misinformation,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Cyber Cell Kashmir, Tahir Ashraf told media in Srinagar.
Zahra, who has simply been identified as a Facebook user by the police, is a noted photo-journalist whose work has been published by Al-Jazeera, The Caravan, The Quint, TRT World and other reputed organisations in India and abroad.
The amended UAPA allows the authorities to proscribe 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.
Meanwhile, the Kashmir Press Club in a statement reacted strongly to the stringent charges against the woman journalist, condemning the recent cases of harassment of the journalists by police in Kashmir. The statement said that journalism in Kashmir had never been an easy task, but challenges and hardships have multiplied for journalists since August 2019.
Jammu and Kashmir Youth Social Forum leader, Angath Singh in a statement also denounced the registration of the case against the photojournalist.