Journalist Farhan Mallick granted bail

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published April 07, 2025 at 01:02 pm |  JP Staff Report

KARACHI – Journalist Farhan Mallick, founder of the digital media platform Raftar, was granted bail on Monday by a local court in Karachi in a case related to airing alleged anti-state content on his YouTube channel.

Mallick was arrested on March 20 and booked under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) over content deemed critical of the state. Following his arrest, he was initially handed over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for a four-day physical remand. On March 25, he was sent to jail on judicial remand.

According to his legal counsel, Abdul Moiz Jaferii, the court approved bail for Mallick against a surety bond of Rs 100,000. This decision comes after a district judge denied bail on March 28.

He was also granted bail in a second case concerning his alleged involvement in operating an illegal call center, the Raftar YouTube channel reported. This case included accusations of credit card data theft through spoofed calls.

Mallick’s arrest and the multiple charges against him have raised serious concerns among media rights activists, who view it as part of an increasing crackdown on independent voices and critical journalism in Pakistan.

صحافی فرحان ملک کو ضمانت مل گئی

کراچی: صحافی اور میڈیا پلیٹ فارم "رفتار" کے بانی فرحان ملک کو پیر کے روز مقامی عدالت نے ریاست مخالف مواد نشر کرنے کے مقدمے میں ضمانت دے دی۔

فرحان ملک کو 20 مارچ کو کراچی سے گرفتارکیا گیا تھا اور ان پر الیکٹرانک جرائم کی روک تھام کے ایکٹ (پیکا) اور پاکستان پینل کوڈ کے تحت مقدمہ درج کیا گیا تھا۔ الزام تھا کہ وہ اپنے یوٹیوب چینل پر ریاست مخالف مواد نشر کر رہے تھے۔

وکیل عبدالمعیز جعفری کے مطابق، عدالت نے صحافی کو 100,000 روپے کے ضمانتی مچلکوں کے عوض ضمانت دی۔ اس سے قبل 28 مارچ کو ضلعی جج نے ان کی ضمانت کی درخواست مسترد کر دی تھی۔

رفتار یوٹیوب چینل کے مطابق، انہیں ایک دوسرے مقدمے میں بھی ضمانت مل گئی، جو مبینہ طور پر ایک غیر قانونی کال سینٹر چلانے سے متعلق ہے۔ اس مقدمے میں اُن پر سپوفڈ کالز کے ذریعے کریڈٹ کارڈ ڈیٹا چوری کرنے کے الزامات بھی شامل تھے۔

فرحان ملک کو گرفتاری کے ایک دن بعد چار دن کے لیےایف آئی اے کے حوالے کیا گیا تھا۔ بعد ازاں 25 مارچ کو انہیں عدالتی ریمانڈ پر جیل بھیج دیا گیا۔ تاہم، بعد میں ان کے خلاف ایک نیا مقدمہ درج کیا گیا اور انہیں دوبارہ پانچ دن کے لیے ایف آئی اے کے حوالے کیا گیا تاکہ ان پر "سپوفڈ کالز" کے ذریعے کریڈٹ کارڈ ڈیٹا کی چوری میں ملوث ہونے کی تحقیقات کی جا سکیں۔

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