The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Wednesday quashed the detention order of journalist Majid Hyderi under the Public Safety Act (PSA), providing relief to the journalist who had been in custody since September 2023.
Justice V K Chatterjee set aside the detention order against Hyderi, as confirmed by advocate Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, who represented the journalist. Hyderi was arrested last year on charges of extortion and defamation and was subsequently booked under the PSA, leading to his incarceration in Kot Bhalwal Jail.
The court’s decision marks a significant development in Hyderi’s case, which had sparked debates on the use of PSA against journalists in the region. The PSA, often criticized for its preventive detention provisions, allows authorities to detain individuals without formal charges for extended periods.
While Hyderi secured relief, the High Court, in a separate ruling, dismissed a petition filed by advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom challenging his own detention under the PSA. Qayoom was arrested in December 2023 in connection with the 2020 murder of advocate Babar Qadri, who was killed by terrorists. Despite contesting his detention, the court upheld the order against him.
