Stop using national security, UAPA to harass journalists, says Editors Guild of India

Irfan Mehraj, who reports on politics and human rights in Kashmir, was recently charged under UAPA. Pic/Twitter

Editors Guild of India on Wednesday expressed concern over the use of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against journalists and urged the administration to respect democratic values and stop their harassment in the name of national security.

"Editors Guild is deeply concerned about the excessive use of the UAPA against journalists, most recently, in the case of the arrest of Irfan Mehraj, a Kashmir-based journalist, by the National Investigation Agency.

Also Read: Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj remanded to 10 days NIA custody, RSF demands immediate release

"According to reports, on the afternoon of March 20, Irfan was called by an investigator on his mobile phone and told to come for a few minutes to the local NIA office in Srinagar. Thereafter, he was arrested and subsequently shifted to Delhi," it said in a statement.

"Irfan Mehraj's arrest continues a trend in Kashmir of security forces arresting journalists because of their critical reporting of the establishment. These include journalists Aasif Sultan, Sajad Gul and Fahad Shah," the Guild said.

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