Kashmir Press Club Takes Note of Media 'Harassment' After Police Picks Up Journalist Kamran Yousuf

Srinagar, February 17: The Kashmir Press Club on Monday took serious note of the continuous "harassment" of journalists in the Valley. According to a statement issued by the Kashmir Press Club Sunday night, a multimedia journalist Kamran Yousuf working with Newsclick, was picked up from his home by the police.

A police party led by DSP and SHO Pulwama entered the home of Yousuf at 11 p.m. on Sunday, the statement said. Kashmir Press Club Demands Immediate Restoration of Internet for Media Fraternity.

"I saw policemen surrounding our premises. The police official asked me to come along and snatched my phones," Yousuf said. The press club statement said he was taken in a police vehicle to the office of the DSP and questioned about some Twitter account run by Kamran Manzoor.

"They checked my phones and searched everything in them. They asked me about some Kamran Manzoor and showed me his Twitter account. The police officer said they had suspicions that he was running it," said Kamran.

He said that he was finally ask to leave at 1 a.m. after the police failed to find anything. "My distraught family members were waiting outside and took me home," he added.

"The police's nocturnal raid at the house of a journalist has once again highlighted the dangers the journalists face in the Valley," the statement said.

The statement added that "The Kashmir Press Club demands home minister Amit Shah as well as the J&K government to take a note of the appalling conditions in which press in Kashmir is working since August 5, last year. As such, it is once again urged that the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression and speech is respected in the region by allowing press and journalists to function freely".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 17, 2020 06:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).