J&K High Court Quashes PSA Detention of Journalist Majid Hyderi

Srinagar, February 19: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has quashed the detention order of journalist Majid Hyderi under the Public Safety Act (PSA). The judgment was passed on Wednesday by Justice V K Chatterjee, according to advocate Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, counsel for the journalist.

Hyderi was arrested in September 2023 on charges of extortion and defamation. Subsequently, he was booked under the stringent PSA and lodged in Kot Bhalwal Jail. The court’s decision to overturn his detention has been seen as a significant legal development.

In a related case, the High Court dismissed a petition filed by advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom challenging his detention under the PSA. Qayoom was arrested in December 2023 in connection with the murder of advocate Babar Qadri by terrorists in 2020. His detention under the PSA remains in force following the court’s ruling.

The PSA, a preventive detention law, has often been a subject of debate, with many rights groups and legal experts questioning its application in various cases. The quashing of Hyderi’s detention may add to ongoing discussions regarding the act’s implementation in the region.