ISLAMABAD: A District and Sessions Court in Islamabad has granted bail to journalist Waheed Murad in a cybercrime case. The court ordered his release against a reduced surety bond of Rs20,000.
Waheed Murad was arrested from his home in Islamabad on March 26 by uniformed personnel. His family claimed he was forcibly taken away by unknown individuals, and a petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court for his recovery.
Following his arrest, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) presented Waheed Murad before Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah, seeking a ten-day physical remand. However, the court only allowed a two-day remand. After its completion, Waheed was sent to jail on judicial remand, and his lawyers filed a bail application.
During the bail hearing, Judge Abbas Shah questioned the FIA about the evidence collected against Murad. His lawyers argued that Waheed Murad had only quoted a tweet from politician Akhtar Mengal. The FIA stated that Mengal’s tweet referred to claims of genocide in Balochistan.
After reviewing the arguments, the court approved Murad’s bail against a Rs50,000 bond. However, upon the petitioner’s request, the amount was reduced to Rs20,000.
Murad’s family and lawyers have expressed concerns over his arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom. The case has sparked debate over the use of cybercrime laws against journalists in Pakistan.
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