A photojournalist from Jammu and Kashmir was on Saturday charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for allegedly uploading posts that glorify “anti-national activities” on social media, the police said. The amended UAPA allows the government to proscribe individuals as terrorists and empowers more officers of the National Investigation Agency to probe cases. A person charged under the act can be jailed for up to seven years. The police said that Masrat Zahra, a freelance photojournalist who reports mostly about women and children in conflict, uploaded photographs that could “provoke the public to disturb law and order”. “The user [Zahra] is also uploading posts that tantamount to glorify the anti-national activities and dent the image of law enforcing agencies besides causing disaffection against the country,” the police said in a press release. The police added that Zahra’s social media posts are inciting young people and promoting unrest. “The user is uploading anti-national posts with criminal intention to induce the youth and to promote offences against public tranquility,” they said. A first information report has also been filed against Zahra under Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code, which punishes those who induce others to commit an offence against the state or against public tranquillity. The police also warned people of strict action if they are found circulating inflammatory content on social media. “General public is advised to refrain from misuse of social media platforms and circulation of unauthenticated information,” they said. “Any person found indulging in such activities will be dealt with strictly under law.”
