Oct 18, 2021: On Sunday, the Independent Watchdog, commonly known as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), called on the authorities in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to “immediately release the arrested journalists and cease detaining and questioning them.”

Steven Butler, CPJ’s Asia Program Coordinator, said India needed to improve its embarrassing record of harassing and detaining key journalists at the IIOJK in order to abandon the once proud tradition of press freedom. He added that the police should release Salman Shah and Sohail Dar immediately, adding that journalists should be allowed to do their work.

Citing news reports, the CPJ said four journalists had been detained since October 8, but two were later released and another was called in for questioning. These journalists include editor Salman Shah, freelance journalist Sohail Dar, Mukhtar Zahoor, Majid Haideri and Sajjad Gul.

Authorities formally arrested Dar and Shah last week and both are being held in the Anantnag District Jail, the CPJ added. However, a local magistrate remanded Shah and Dar in custody for two days.

According to local media reports, Dar’s brother, Tariq Dar, spoke to the CPJ by phone. Tariq told CPJ that police did not give any reason for his brother’s detention to the family.

Separately, on October 12, Sher Bagh police officers in Anantnag District detained Shah for questioning at his home in the Sherpura area, according to a local media outlet and his brother Imran Shah who spoke to CPJ by phone.

Imran Shah said his family had not been notified of any police investigation until his brother’s formal arrest yesterday.

Both journalists have been accused of violating two sections of the Indian penal code, pertaining to “knowingly joining or continuing in assembly of five or more persons after it has been commanded to disperse” and abetting.

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