Free Speech Tracker

List of Incidents in Jammu and Kashmir -> Censorship -> 2010
Valley Facebookers Under Scanner
Ref: http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24924&Itemid=1
Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir

After imposing curbs on media, the authorities have now started scrutinizing face book users in valley who they claim are �instigating� people against the state.

To begin with, the police are identifying people in South Kashmir�s Islamabad district where some people have been summoned to police station.

The face book users, who have been charged by police, alleged that they have been asked to report police stations since they have been booked.

�I received a call Saturday evening,� a face book user, who was booked by police In Islamabad town, told rising Kashmir. �The person wanted to meet me. I mistook him as my friend. I told him we can meet after strikes and curfews are over�.

As the face book user declined to meet, the caller insisted he should come to lalchowk (Islamabad).
�Or else he said he would come to my home,� the Facebook user said.
Later, on inquiring by the user, the caller identified himself as a Police officer.

�He told me an FIR has been registered against me in Islamabad police station,� the face book user said.

The Facebook user said he was told that he was charged of �provoking people� for doing anti-state activities. �Police officer told me you are very active on Facebook. And you are uploading images and videos that instigate violence against state,� the user said.

After half an hour, the user said, he received another call from Station House Officer Islamabad Police station. �He told me that FIR has been registered against me,� the user said. � I got shocked, I told both the officers I was writing and uploading truth. There was no images or text that could have instigated violence�. From then onwards, the user evading arrest.

�I am not reporting to police station since they would at least keep me detained for six days� he said. �Somebody told me they have slapped harsh acts against me. The acts incriminate me in waging war against state�.

The facebook user said apart from him few more people have also been called by police.
The incident has raised a widely held suspicion in Kashmir that Facebook was being monitored by police and other security agencies

SSP Islamabad Showkat Malik when asked about the facebook scrutiny said, � I have no idea about it�.

Facebook is a very popular social networking site which provides people a platform to exchange and share ideas and upload pictures and videos.

In the past three weeks of curfew and strikes, Facebook has helped people to remain in contact and share their personal experiences in the form of texts and pictures on the internet sharing site.

The authorities have already imposed curbs on media. The journalists on Monday held a sit in to protest against the government decision. �The government claims that restrictions have been lifted on media are hoax,� the journalists said.