Media
Press Council issues notice to NIA, J&K police over arrest of photojournalist Kamran Yousuf
Srinagar: Press Council of India (PCI) on Thursday issued a notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Jammu and Kashmir police, and other state officials over the arrest of photojournalist Kamran Yousuf.
Taking a suo-motu cognizance regarding the arrest of the photojournalist, PCI has given two weeks time to the respondents to reply to the notice.
The letter addressed to the National Investigation Agency officials, officials of Government of Jammu and Kashmir and to Jammu and Kashmir Police said that the matter is a “prima facie concerned with the freedom of press in the country”.
The Press Council of India has “viewed the incident with concern and taken the suo-motu cognizance of the matter under Regulation 13 of Press Council (procedure for inquiry) Regulation, 1979.”
“It has been brought to the notice of the Council that Jammu and Kashmir police arrested Pulwama-based photojournalist Shri Kamran Yousuf and handed over to the National Investigation Agency,” the letter said.
“Now therefore, a reply statement to this notice may please be filed within two weeks from the date of receipt of this letter to enable the further processing of the matter,” the letter added.
Yousuf was detained by the Jammu and Kashmir Police on September 4 and was handed over to the NIA the next day. According to reports, the NIA suspect Yousuf of stone-pelting but is yet to register a case against him.
Earlier New York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), demanded “Indian authorities to immediately release” Kamran Yousuf.
Kamran Yousuf has worked as a freelance photojournalist with Kashmir’s leading daily, Greater Kashmir, among others.
