Release Kashmiri journalist and drop charges against him, CPJ tells J-K governor

The Committee to Protect Journalists has appealed to Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik to release journalist Aasif Sultan, arrested last year for alleged links with militant groups, and drop the charges against him.

No chargesheet has been filed against Malik, who works for a weekly newspaper and was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on August 27 last year, the CPJ, a global organisation advocating press freedom, said in a letter to the governor.

"Freedom of the press is a vital tenet of democracy and a proud part of India's history. We urge you to use the authority vested in you as governor of Jammu and Kashmir to help immediately ensure that Aasif Sultan is released and that the charges against him are dropped," the letter dated January 15 said.

It said his name was incorporated in an FIR after a gunfight on August 12. His editor and family credibly disputed police claims and said his work was strictly that of a journalist gathering news, the CPJ ...