SRINAGAR, Feb 19 – The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has quashed the detention of journalist Majid Hyderi, who was held under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and lodged in Kot Bhalwal Jail, Jammu, his lawyer said on Monday.
The court’s verdict was delivered by Justice V K Chatterjee, according to Hyderi’s counsel, advocate Mohammad Yousuf Bhat.
Hyderi was arrested on September 15, 2023, from his residence in Srinagar on charges of extortion and defamation under FIR No. 88/2023 at Saddar Police Station. Although he was granted bail by the Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar, he was subsequently re-arrested and detained under the PSA.
His detention was widely criticized, with former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti alleging that he was “dragged from his home like a wanted terrorist.” The Jammu and Kashmir Police, however, denied the allegation, stating that “all legal procedures of formal arrest as mandated by law were fully followed.”
The court’s decision to quash Hyderi’s detention marks a significant development in the case, which has raised concerns among media rights groups over press freedom in the region.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
