Srinagar, April 19 : In the last 20 months, two Kashmiri journalists have been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Police have invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act against a woman photojournalist Masrat Zehra in Kashmir for allegedly uploading “anti-national posts” on her social media accounts for which imprisonment could be more than three years.
A police statement said “Cyber police station received information through reliable sources that one face book user namely Masrat Zahra is uploading anti-national posts with criminal intention to induce the youth and to promote offences against public tranquility.
The face book user is also believed to be uploading photographs which can provoke the public to disturb law and order. The user is also uploading posts that tantamount to glorify the anti-national activities and dent the image of law enforcing agencies besides causing disaffection against the country.”
Police has registered a case FIR No. 10/2020U/S 13 UA (P) Act and 505-IPC dated 18-04-2020 in Cyber Police Station, Kashmir Zone, Srinagar and investigation set into motion.
According to media reports she was initially contacted by Cyber Cell of Police on Saturday evening and she was asked to appear before the police immediately. However, after Kashmir Press Club and the J-K’s Directorate of Information intervened in the matter, she was informed that “matter has been sorted now”.
An official told news agency KINS that as per the Act any person can be booked under Section 505 whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or baseless report on social media.
“Those can be booked under the Act who intent to cause or which is likely to cause any officer, soldier, sailor or airman in the Army, navy or air Force, to mutiny or otherwise disregard or fail in his duty as such. With intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against the public tranquility,” the Act reads.
“With intent to incite, or which is likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both. Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes.—Whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement or report containing rumour or alarming news with intent to create or promote, or which is likely to create or promote, on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both,” it adds.
Masrat is the second journalist in Kashmir who has been booked under UAPA in last two years. Earlier in September 2018, Srinagar based journalist was also booked under the same act for allegedly providing logistical support to a banned militant organisation. He continues to remain in detention.(KINS)
