Srinagar
In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, International award-winning incarcerated journalist Asif Sultan completed 1,000 days in prison, the other day.
In the almost three years that he has spent in prison, everything has changed at his home, but charges against him are yet to be dropped despite many court hearings.
Sultan was arrested in August 2018 after he filed a report on martyred youth leader, Burhan Wani, for a local magazine where he was working as an assistant editor.
A year later he was awarded the John Aubuchon press freedom award. He is currently lodged at Central Jail Srinagar, despite repeated calls for his release from human rights groups, international journalist bodies, and Kashmiri journalists.
Muhammad Sultan, the father of Asif, while talking to media said, “I had to go through a major heart surgery this year. Alhamdulillah, I am better now.
His daughter, who was just 6 months at the time of his arrest, has begun to feel her father’s absence now. We are eagerly waiting for his release.”
Police have booked Asif under black law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on the ridiculous charge of his involvement in militant activities.
The charge was strongly denied by his family. Asif has a wife and a 3-year old daughter at home.—KMS
