Journalist Sohrab Barkat Freed on Bail After 10 Days

Arrest tied to YouTube coverage of Kashmir protests reignites press freedom concerns

ISLAMABAD — Journalist Sohrab Barkat has been granted bail and released after a 10-day detention, following his arrest under Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
Barkat was taken into custody at his home in Islamabad on June 5 after he posted a YouTube video covering protests in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Authorities allege the video spread false information, echoed the stance of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), and risked stirring public unrest. He was released on bail on June 15.
The charges fall under PECA provisions targeting “false or misleading” content, carrying a potential three-year prison term if Barkat is convicted. Press freedom groups say the case adds to a pattern of cybercrime laws being used against journalists in Pakistan