SRINAGAR: An Indian court on Monday remanded in custody a French journalist for five days after he was arrested in India-held Kashmir (IHK) for filming a documentary without permission and violating visa regulations, police said.

The freelance journalist, Paul Comiti, was arrested on Sunday in Srinagar as he held an Indian business visa which did not permit him to make a documentary on political or security-related issues, Senior Superinten­dent of Police Imtiyaz Ismael Parray said.

Mr Comiti had met All Parties Hurriyat Confere­nce leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and filmed protesters throwing stones at Indian security personnel, said another senior police official, who declined to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

The French journalist had also met victims of anti-riot ‘pellet guns’ that the Indian forces use against protesters.

“We called him to ask him about his activities, but he refused to present himself before the police,” the second police official said. “He was not authorised to film here because he was on a business visa. He was finally arrested.”

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2017