Srinagar, Sep 13 (KNS): Seeking immediate release of photojournalist Kamran Yousuf, Baramulla Working Journalist Association strongly condemned his arrest and State Government, Press Council of India take up the matter with concern quarters for release of Kamran from NIA.
The arrest of journalist Yousuf is an attack on the freedom of press and government and NIA is trying to suppress the voice of media persons working in conflict zone Kashmir.
On 4th of September, The freelance photojournalist Yousuf was called to Police Station Pulwama and was handed over to National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the next day on charges of stone pelting.
Karman’s pictures have been published in the Greater Kashmir, a leading local English-daily and video footage in Munsif TV, an Urdu national news channel so he is working as freelancer, journalists of south Kashmir.
The association expressed gratitude and hailed the efforts of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ, Editors Guild Kashmir, Young Journalists Association of Kashmir for their support and stand on Kamran’s arrest.
The association believes that Kamran has been working with various print and electronic media organizations regularly for the past several years as a professional journalist.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“He is a reputed journalist and branding him as a stone pelter is plain fabrication of facts, said President BWJA, Zargar Gulzar.
However Chairman BWJA, Karamat Qayoom said that the association has appealed the state government that if NIA wants to probe his involvement in certain cases, they are at liberty, but they should understand that photojournalist is supposed to cover the incidents whatsoever be it a stone pelting, or government functions, but that does not mean that the concerned investigating agency will treat him as a stone pelter, instead of a professional photojournalist.
It is in place to mention that BWJA is affiliated with Kashmir Journalists association and other associations of the country, they have also appealed the Press Council of India (PCI) to intervene into the matter and channelize all its resources with the concerned agency to get Kamran Yousf free from NIA. (KNS)