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Journalist Syed Farhad Ali Shah detained without charge over Kashmir protest coverage

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Journalist Syed Farhad Ali Shah detained without charge over Kashmir protest coverage

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New York, July 8, 2026—Authorities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Syed Farhad Ali Shah, who was detained by police after covering demonstrations called ​by a recently banned alliance of civil society groups, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.

Ali Shah, who reports for the social media-focused outlet Times of Kashmir, was taken into custody on June 20 in Bagh district under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, a colonial-era law that allows detention without charge for up to six months, according to news reports and a family member, who spoke to CPJ on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. Ali Shah was detained in Rawalakot after reporting on protests by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

No first information report, which initiates a police investigation, has been filed against Ali Shah, nor has he appeared in court, the family member said.

“The detention of Syed Farhad Ali Shah under a broad and vaguely worded preventive detention law is an attempt to silence journalists covering matters of public interest,” said CPJ’s Afghanistan-Pakistan Representative Waliullah Rahmani. “Reporting on protests and political developments is not a crime, and detaining journalists without charge or due process sends a chilling message to the press ahead of regional elections in Kashmir.” 

The detention of Ali Shah is particularly concerning because, on June 5, authorities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir banned the JAAC under anti-terrorism laws, according to media reports.

Ahead of July 27 elections in the region, JAAC had called for protests against 12 legislative seats reserved for refugees who migrated to Pakistan from Indian-administered Kashmir decades ago. The issue sparked large-scale demonstrations, followed by a security crackdown that killed at least 15 people, led to arrests, and prompted government-imposed internet disruptions.

In May 2024, Ali Shah, who has more than 100,000 followers on X, was detained at his home in Islamabad and held for two weeks before appearing in court. He was released on bail about a month later. Before his detention, Ali Shah had reported critically on protests over rising prices in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Pakistan administrated-Kashmir’s Central Police Office in Chatter, Muzaffarabad, did not respond to CPJ’s emailed request for comment.

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