New York, August 23, 2022–Pakistan authorities should immediately andunconditionally release journalist Jameel Farooqui, and cease harassing himand journalist Ilyas Samoo in retaliation for their work, the Committee toProtect Journalists said Tuesday.
On August 19, police in southeastern Sindh province’s Thatta districtarrested Samoo, a reporter for the privately owned daily newspaper AwamiAwaz and president of the local Bandar Press Club, according to statementslink by two local press freedom groupslink andLatafullah Samoo, the journalist’s brother, who spoke to CPJ by phone.
Latafullah Samoo told CPJ on the evening of Tuesday, August 23, that alocal court had granted his brother’s bail earlier that day and he had beenreleased.
Separately, on Monday, authorities in the Sindh provincial capital ofKarachi arrested Farooqui, an anchor with the privately owned broadcasterBOL News and host of a YouTube channellink about120,000 subscribers, according to multiplelink news linklinkanda statementlinkbythe Pakistan Press Foundation, a local press freedom group.
Following his arrest, a Karachi court transferred Farooqui to the custodyof the Islamabad police, and on Tuesday an Islamabad court granted policetwo additional days to hold Farooqui pending further investigation,according to those sources.
“Pakistan authorities must end their campaign of harassment andintimidation of journalists in retaliation for their work,” said CarlosMartinez de la Serna, CPJ’s program director. “Authorities should swiftlyand unconditionally release journalist Jameel Farooqui, cease harassing himand journalist Ilyas Samoo, and allow them to continue their work withoutinterference.”
In Samoo’s case, the police first information report, a document whichopens an investigation, accuses the journalist of carrying an illegalweapon in violation of the Sindh Arms Act, according to a copy of thereport, which CPJ reviewed.
Latafullah Samoo told CPJ that he believed authorities had targeted Samooin retaliation for his reporting on flood-affected areas in Thatta districtand said that, shortly before his brother’s arrest, the journalist hadreceived a threatening call and text message warning him to stop thatreporting.
Samoo’s reporting, which CPJ reviewed, alleged that authorities had alackluster response to the floodslink,which killed at least 239 people.
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If charged and convicted of carrying an illegal weapon, Samoo could face upto 14 years in prison and an unspecified fine, according to the lawlink.
In Farooqui’s case, authorities arrested the journalist in relation to afirst information report registered in Islamabad, accusing him of threecounts of defamation and one of obstructing the work of a public servant,according to those news reports.
The allegations stem from an August 18 videolink on Farooqui’s YouTube channelin which he accused the Islamabad police of sexually and physically abusingShehbaz Gill, a leader of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)party, according to those reports.
The sections of the penal codelinkpertainingto defamation can carry a prison sentence of up to two years and anunspecified fine, and obstructing a public servant can carry a prisonsentence of one year and a fine of 50,000 rupees (US$231).
In a video link postedto Twitter by the PTI on Monday, Farooqui alleged that that police hadstripped and beaten him in custody.
On August 21, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, thecountry’s broadcast regulator, banned the broadcasting of live speechesfrom former Prime Minister Imran Khan of the PTI party, according to newslink reportslink.
The Islamabad and Sindh police departments did not respond to CPJ’s emailedrequests for comment.
