ISLAMABAD: The APHC AJK has expressed serious concern and denounced the Indian authorities for putting a ban on media and continued harassment and arrest of several journalists in India illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
APHC AJK leaders in a meeting headed by convenor Mehmood Ahmed Sagar urged the international community to put pressure on India to stop human rights violations and harassment of media in occupied Kashmir and take steps towards settling the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the Kashmiris’ aspirations, said a press release.
They have strongly condemned the slapping and continued arrest of journalist Aasif Sultan, Fahad Shah and Irfan Meraaj who are still facing illegal detentions in different jails of India and IIOJK.
The meeting identified that newly imposed media law is being invoked against journalists and media to threaten them and intimidate them into submission.
They said anybody who reports facts or is critical of the Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government and its authorities in IIOJK is put behind bars for years by invoking draconian laws before any charge is brought against them.
The participants of the meeting said that thousands of Hurriyat leaders, activists, youth and journalists are suffering in jails after being booked under the black laws and despite appeals by the UN, human rights organisations, media groups, activists and civil society members, these people have not been released.
The meeting expressed sympathy with the detainees and their families and again urged India to release detained Kashmiris lodged in different jails and detention centres in IIOJK and India forthwith.