SOAS statement on Fahad Shah

8 February 2022

We are very concerned to hear of the arrest of SOAS alum Fahad Shah, a prominent journalist based in Kashmir and editor of the independent news platform, TheKashmirWalla .

We call for his immediate release as we understand he has been arrested under terrorism and sedition laws in what has been widely reported as an increasing attack on press freedom in Indian-administered Kashmir, as reported in the Guardian and New York Times .

Fahad, who studied for an MA at SOAS, has published widely on international platforms such as TIME, The Guardian, Christian Science Monitor and organised international conferences and created platforms on building peace and dialogue in Kashmir.

SOAS has a number of alumni actively working in the field of journalism and we are proud to host debates on the issue of press freedom in relation to our regions, Asia, Africa and the Middle East and the issue globally.

We join a long list of institutions such as the Committee to Protect Journalists to call for the immediate release of Fahad Shah.

A petition is available to sign on Change.org .