[Reader-list] eCrackdown in Kashmir

[Aditya Raj Baul]

Govt lays hands on Facebook users

E-CRACKDOWN
SAMAAN LATEEF
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2010/Jul/12/govt-lays-hands-on-facebook-users-56.asp

Srinagar, July 11: The state government is now seeing social
networking websites ‘a major threat to the public order’ and has
reportedly summoned several youth in Kashmir besides booking Mirwaiz
South Kashmir, Qazi Yasir, under Public Safety Act for ‘instigating
violence and justifying stone-pelting through Facebook.’
 Amid complete media shutdown for nearly four days, the people, mostly
youngsters, were left with the only option of reaching to the world
through social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter and Orkut
to disseminate information regarding the ongoing situation in the
Valley. They are uploading videos and pictures of police and centre
paramilitary force’s action on stone pelters, hosting blogs and
posting comments of current situation on these websites. However,
state government has kept the users under scanner and has allegedly
summoned several youth in South Kashmir’s Islamabad district to police
stations.
 A group of Facebook users told Greater Kashmir that police have asked
them to report to the police stations for ‘using social network sites
to instigate youth for stone pelting and disturbing public order.’ A
Facebook user said he had been asked to report to the police station
Saddar, Islamabad, for uploading a video on Facebook showing the
incident of killing of three boys by police in SK colony of the town.
Besides, he has been asked to report for posting remarks against local
police, he said.
 Another Facebook user of Islamabad said, “On Saturday I got a call
from police personnel who asked me to report to police station Saddar
for being active on Facebook.” Police personnel told that an FIR has
been lodged in Saddar police station against me on charges for
instigating public for stone pelting and posting anti-national
remarks, the user said.
 Cyberspace has become the best medium to reach to the world about the
happenings in the valley. Most of the users have also changed their
profile pictures and uploaded a poster which reads ‘I PROTEST.’
 However, police denied that they have summoned any person for
‘instigating violence’ on Facebook. “They must be involved in some
criminal case and that is why they have been asked to report to the
police station,” the Senior Superintendent of Police, Islamabad,
Showkat Malik said.