Asif Sultan, a journalist from Kashmir, continues to be a victim of state repression. After a long time, he was released, but within a few hours, he was arrested again. The Press Club of India and the Press Association in this regard. issued a statement on Monday expressing concern over the unjust imprisonment of award-winning Kashmiri journalist Asif Sultan.
The Press Club of India strongly condemned the government's treatment of Sultan and urged the Press Council of India to launch an independent inquiry into his repeated arrests and harassment.
The Press Club of India said in a statement that "repeated actions by the Jammu and Kashmir government against the Sultan appear to be retaliation. They added that its Press Council of An investigation should be conducted under India's
It may be noted that in 2018, Sultan was charged with harboring terrorists and providing logistical support. After more than three years in the Kashmir Central Jail, a local court granted him bail in April 2022, because The prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to link Sultan to any such activity.
But before his release, the Jammu and Kashmir government re-arrested him under the Public Safety Act (PSA). Again, his detention under the PSA was extended by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in December 2023. I was annulled because he could not find any evidence to prove the allegations against the Sultan.
Even after the court verdict, it took more than two months for the government to release Sultan, but within hours of his arrival home, Sultan was re-arrested on February 29 and ironically sent to the Kashmir Central Jail. Indicted in a 2019 case related to a clash within
In its statement, the Press Club of India said that the Press Club of India demands that the state government uphold the values enshrined in the Constitution instead of harassing Asif Sultan for carrying out his journalistic duties. We demand that due process should be followed while dealing with journalists and not abused. The government should release Asif Sultan, recipient of the John Obuchon Press Freedom Award from the National Press Club of America.