The Jammu and Kashmir Cyber Police filed a case against Kashmiri author-journalist Gowhar Geelani for ‘glorifying terrorism in Kashmir Valley’ through social media posts. This is the second such FIR to be filed against a journalist in four days.

This comes after a 26-year-old photojournalist, Masrat Zahra, was charged by the Jammu and Kashmir Police under the strict Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for her social media posts.

An independent reporter, Geelani has been published by BBC, DailyO, and Scroll.in, among others. For several years, he worked with Deutsche Welle in Germany.

‘Cyber Police Station Kashmir Zone, Srinagar, has received information through reliable sources that an individual namely ‘Gowher Geelani’ is indulging in unlawful activities through his posts and writings on Social Media platform (sic) which are prejudicial to the national integrity, sovereignty and security of India,’ ThePrint quoted police as saying in a press release.

‘The unlawful activities include glorifying terrorism in Kashmir Valley, causing disaffection against the country and causing fear or alarm in the minds of public that may lead to commission of offences against public tranquility and the security of State,’ it added.

The statement said that many complaints have also been received against Geelani for ‘threatening and intimidation’.

‘A Case FIR No. 11/2020 under the relevant sections of law has been registered at Cyber Police Station Kashmir and investigation initiated,’ it said.

In another similar incident, the head of the cyber cell of the Jammu and Kashmir Police was called out for his old tweet, which termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘sadistic’.

Tahir Ashraf, the Superintendent of Police of the cyber police wing was then compelled to delete his tweet, which was posted in 2013.

The tweet referred to an NDTV interview of PM Modi which laid emphasis on Gujarat 2002 riots, in which the then Chief Minister stated that it would hurt him ‘even if a puppy came under a car’.

To this, Ashraf tweeted: ‘Narendra Modi’s puppy analogy on 2002 riots shows his real character…sadistic’.

Tahir Ashraf arrest yourself. Your tweet will be threat to national Sovereignty. @Sheikhzahid402 @FaisalMajeed0 pic.twitter.com/sG7zaeetyH

— MUSAIB BIN UMEYR (@MusaibUmeyr) April 21, 2020

Also Read: Kashmiri Photojournalist Booked Under UAPA For ‘Anti-National Posts’ On Social Media