Indian Supreme Court orders freeing journalist Mohammed Zubair

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 23 July 2022

The Supreme Court of India has ordered the release of journalist Mohammed Zubair on interim bail. The court criticized the continued detention without justification.

Summary

NEW DELHI—The Supreme Court of India has ordered releasing journalist and co-founder of Alt News Mohammed Zubair, declaring, "We are of the view that he should be released on interim bail on all FIRs. It's a set principle of law that power of arrests must be pursued sparingly."

The Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud, said there was no justification in keeping Zubair in custody when the Delhi court granted him bail in an FIR registered by its special cell.

"In present case no justification to keep him in continued detention and subject him to an endless round of proceedings in various courts," the Supreme Court noted.

The court also did away with an earlier condition imposed on Zubair to not make any social media posts/tweets. "We can't say he wont tweet again. It is like telling a lawyer that you should not argue. How can we tell a journalist that he will not write?…"

Zubair was arrested on June 28 by the Delhi police over a 2018 tweet.

Photo credit: Reuters

KEY POINTS:

• Supreme Court grants interim bail to Mohammed Zubair
• Court criticizes unjustified detention by Delhi police
• Earlier condition preventing social media posts lifted
• Zubair was arrested over a tweet from 2018
• Judicial principle emphasizes sparing use of arrests