Srinagar
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday asked Home Minister Rajnath Singh to intervene into the issue of Kashmiri photojournalist Kamran Yousuf so that his life isn’t ruined.
“Spoke to Home Minister @rajnathsingh ji to look into Kamran Yousuf’s case. I’ve requested him to intervene so that the life of a young budding journalist does not get ruined,” Mehbooba wrote on her twitter.
Kamran was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on 5 September 2017 and has been in custody since.
Earlier, International human rights and journalism bodies have also sought the immediate release of the photojournalist. The Committee to Protect Journalists urged central government and NIA to “immediately drop charges” against Kamran and called for his release him.
Meanwhile, Indian express reported the saying of Kamran’s mother Rubina, 45, who was seated in a courtroom in Delhi Wednesday, prayed with folded hands. Every few minutes, she would mumble some words and then crane her neck to listen to the proceedings. Additional Sessions Judge Tarun Sherawat is hearing her son Kamran Yousuf’s bail plea.
(Pic source Internet)
“Delhi mein halaat bahut thik hai. Hamare ghar par waisa nahi…agar mera beta jail se bahar nikal jayega to hum usko ek dukaan de denge. Hum use ye photo ka kaam nahi karne denge (The situation in Delhi is good. It isn’t like this back home. If my son is released, we will set up a shop for him….we won’t let him work as a photojournalist,” Indian express quoted Rubina mother of Kamran.
The court didn’t decide the bail plea on that hearing, or the next. There have been more than 18 hearings on the plea in the past six months, but it is not clear when it will be decided.
On Wednesday, judge Sehrawat posted the matter for Friday. On Friday, NIA came up with a new set of documents, seeking that the court examine them. The defence had earlier opposed introduction of fresh documents which were not part of the chargesheet.
NIA has alleged Yousuf was a stonepelter and that his work as a photojournalist was a front to “cover up his actual subversive activities”. He has been booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act along with 11 others.
NIA had earlier submitted an analysis of Yousuf’s call records, suggesting that he was allegedly in touch with people who were in contact with the accused. The defence had argued that the indirect link is far-fetched and that the people Yousuf was in touch are journalists and also a senior police officer. Sherawat on Friday directed NIA to get details of phone numbers Yousuf was in contact with. The matter was eventually posted for Monday.
Rubina, meanwhile, waits for a decision on the bail plea. On Friday, she met Yousuf in Tihar jail, their first meeting since his arrest. “He told me he has done nothing to be in jail. He wants to be free and return home” reported Indian express.
“For years, he collected money to buy a second-hand camera. He couldn’t save enough and took help from relatives. I didn’t know this camera will become a curse for him” Indian expresses quoted saying of Rubina .
