Journalist Farhan Mallick sent to jail on judicial remand

• Court questions nature of videos, case complainant.
• Farhan Mallick alleges harassment of his staff.
• Hearing on bail application scheduled for March 27.

KARACHI: A local court on Tuesday sent journalist Farhan Mallick to jail on judicial remand, who was arrested for allegedly spreading anti-state content.

After the expiry of his four-day physical remand, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) presented the senior journalist before the Judicial Magistrate (East), seeking an extension to the remand.

However, the court rejected the FIA’s request for his physical remand and instead sent Mallick — who worked for a private news channel as its director news and now owns a YouTube channel — to jail on judicial remand.

The court also issued notices on Mallick's bail application, setting March 27 as the date for the next hearing. A large number of anchors and senior journalists were present in court during the proceedings.

During the hearing, the investigating officer informed the court that anti-state videos had been posted. In response, the judge questioned the nature of the videos and asked who the complainant in the case was.

The court also inquired whether Mallick had been mistreated or harassed during custody.

The journalist said that his staff was being harassed. The court then questioned the investigating officer about the involvement of any other individuals in the case and warned that if anyone was harassed, a show-cause notice would be issued to the officer.

The FIA took the journalist into custody on March 20 for allegedly violating the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) and involvement in defamation.

The contentious Peca law was recently amended and journalist bodies across the country have been protesting the law, dubing it an attempt to gag freedom of speech and intimidate newspersons and their media outlets.

An FIR has been lodged against him under multiple sections of the Peca Act read with Pakistan Penal Code's Section 190 (punishment of abetment if the act abetted committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment) and 500 (punishment for defamation).

The FIR mentions that Mallick, who worked for a private news channel as its director news and now owns a YouTube channel, was allegedly involved in disseminating anti-state content.

"During the course of [i]nquiry, initial technical analysis of alleged YouTube Channel was received which revealed that the alleged person is involved in generating and disseminating posts and videos related to Anti-State consist of fake news and public incitement agenda," the FIR mentioned.

"He has [been] continuously disseminating and uploading posts and videos related to anti-state consist of fake news and public incitement agenda, thereby causing harm to the reputation of public institutes on an international level which acts on his part constitute the commission of offence." 

The local court hearing took place a day after the administration of Mallick's YouTube channel claimed that the FIA had raided the journalist's office, seizing his computer and USB drive.

The administration stated that the raid was not part of routine investigations but an attack on press freedom.