An Islamabad trial court on Saturday approved the bail of journalist Asad Toor in a case about an online campaign against the judiciary.
In January, the caretaker government had formed a five-member joint investigation team (JIT) to “ascertain facts behind a malicious social media campaign” against the judiciary in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to deprive PTI of its iconic electoral symbol — the bat.
On February 23, Toor was interrogated for nearly eight hours by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials on the same matter. The interrogation had taken place despite the attorney general for Pakistan assuring the apex court last month that the FIA would not take action before the general election on the notices sent to journalists.
The top court had adjourned the hearing in the case till the first week of March.
Toor was, however, arrested by the FIA on Feb 26. The next day, an Islamabad district and sessions court had granted the FIA a five-day physical remand of the journalist. On March 6, the same lower court had extended Toor’s physical remand for two days.
Eventually, on March 8, the court sent the journalist to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.
According to the FIR (first information report), Toor was booked under Sections 9, 10 and 24 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), which deal with the offences of glorification of an offence, cyber terrorism and cyberstalking.
The FIR stated that Toor “built a false narrative” and publically launched a “malicious/obnoxious and explicit campaign” against “civil servants/government officials and state institutions”.
On March 15, the Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq had directed the trial court to take up Toor’s bail petition today. The lower court had initially scheduled the hearing on March 18 (Monday), reportedly due to the illness of the investigation officer.
Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) had also called on the authorities to “immediately and unconditionally” release Toor, return his devices and, cease his harassment in retaliation for his journalistic work.
Hearing
Today, Special Judge Central Humayun Dilawar conducted the hearing of the case. The petitioner, Toor, was represented by Advocates Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chatha.
The investigation officer of the case and FIA prosecutor Ashfaq Hussain Shah were also present in court with the relevant case records.
At the offset of the hearing, Advocate Chatha submitted the Supreme Court’s observation that journalists should not be booked over a social media campaign against superior judges.
At this, Judge Qaiser asked the investigation officer of the case and the FIA prosecutor if the Supreme Court’s observation being referred to was true. “Yes this observation is true,” the FIA official told the court.
Subsequently, the court accepted Toor’s bail plea against surety bonds of Rs5,000.
