Award-winning Kashmiri journalist serving nearly two years in prison for press freedom gets freed

Fahad Shah, a journalist from Kashmir, returned home on Thursday after being granted bail. He spent nearly two years in prison following his arrest in February 2022. Shah, the founding editor of The Kashmir Walla, an independent news outlet in Indian-administered Kashmir, faced charges of publishing “anti-national content.” He was detained under India’s stringent anti-terror and colonial-era sedition laws, a move that critics argue signifies a decline in press freedoms in the region.

The Indian government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has exercised tighter control over Kashmir since the revocation of the region’s special status in 2019. This act integrated the former state more directly under New Delhi’s rule and has been a point of contention. Kashmir, a territory claimed by both India and Pakistan, has been a longstanding site of conflict and is considered one of the most dangerous flashpoints in the world.

The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court ordered Shah’s release on Monday, quashing some of the charges against him. The court’s 25-page judgment critiqued the prosecution’s argument, stating that accepting it would be detrimental to the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.

Shah’s arrest had drawn criticism from media rights organizations both within India and internationally. Steven Butler of the Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the arrest as a blatant disregard for press freedom.

Shah is recognized for his journalistic contributions, including coverage of communal violence in Delhi in February 2020, for which he received the 25th Human Rights Press Awards 2021. His work has been featured in prominent international publications.

India, the world’s largest democracy, has faced criticism under Modi’s administration for allegedly intimidating the press, suppressing free speech, and censoring independent news organizations. The country’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders has fallen significantly since Modi’s ascent to power in 2014. The situation in Kashmir, where journalists often face harassment and extended detention, is particularly concerning.