Kashmiri journalist claims he was stopped from flying to Germany

Gowhar Geelani, a Kashmiri journalist and author on Saturday, August 31 said that he was not permitted to travel to Germany to attend a conference organised by Deutsche Welle, the German public broadcaster.

Geelani has worked with Deutsche Welle in Germany earlier. He said that he had joined Deutsche Welle as an editor again recently and was on his way for an eight-day journalist training programme beginning September 1 when he was stopped at IGI Airport, reported The Indian Express.

“I had checked in, and at the Immigration was asked by the staff to accompany them to a room, where an officer, who identified himself as Abhishek, told me that they have instructions not to allow me to leave the country,” Geelani said.

He sought an explanation, and also asked police official to show him the, “but the officer said he cannot share any written order or explanation with me. He told me it is because of the current situation in Kashmir (that he was stopped), and he was following orders from higher-ups.”

According to a report in The Indian Express, Sources said that Geelani has been detained based on a request by Intelligence Bureau. Sources stated that his baggage has already been offloaded. “As of now, he is with Immigration officials. Intelligence agencies have been informed; they will question him further.”

Earlier in August, Kashmiri IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal was stopped at New Delhi’s IGI Airport while he was on way to Boston, USA.