Rights groups demand release of journalist Ahmad Farhad, condemn repression in PoK

Dublin, July 8 (IANS) A leading international human rights organisation called on the Pakistani authorities to immediately release journalist and human rights defender Ahmad Farhad and withdraw all charges against him, alleging that he is being targeted for his legitimate reporting and human rights work in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Ireland-based rights group Front Line Defenders strongly condemned the repression in PoK, saying the crackdown is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of violence against individuals who speak out against authorities and seek to end impunity for human rights violations.

The organisation said that journalists such as Farhad are especially vulnerable as they challenge state-sponsored misinformation and report independently from the ground.

According to Front Line Defenders, the Pakistani police detained Farhad on June 20 in Bagh city of PoK while he was returning home after covering the ongoing Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) protest in Rawalakot. It added that he has since been held at the Bagh city police station with no legal grounds or a formal arrest warrant.

The rights body further said that Farhad reports on social justice issues, human rights violations and the suppression of peaceful people’s movements for rights and justice in PoK.

“He has faced violent reprisals as a result of his work, including an abduction which later turned into an arrest in 2024, as well as criminalisation and stigmatisation by state authorities,” Front Line Defenders stated.

Recently, it said, Farhad used his media platform to report on the protest movement launched by the JAAC in PoK, which has “faced a disproportionate use of force and repression” by Pakistani authorities.

“Thousands of protesters were reportedly arrested under the regressive Section 3, Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, which permits preventive detention with limited recourse to judicial review,” the rights body noted.

Expressing grave concern over the safety of Farhad while in custody, especially given his previous experience of enforced disappearance, Front Line Defenders said, “Pakistan has a record of systemic repression against any form of dissent, including those that peacefully advocate for justice and rights. In addition, internet blackouts and restrictions on movements in the region have prevented independent reporting and information flow on the extent of the violations.”

–IANS

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