Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor, who was arrested for orchestrating an online campaign against the nation’s judiciary and security agencies, has been released from Adiala jail after an Islamabad trial court approved his bail on Saturday.
Special Judge Central Humayun Dilawar conducted the hearing of the case on Saturday. The petitioner, Toor, was represented by Advocates Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha.
At the beginning of the hearing, Advocate Chatha referenced the Supreme Court’s observation that journalists should not be charged over social media campaigns against superior judges.
The court then accepted Toor’s bail plea against surety bonds of Rs 5,000. The journalist was later released. Asad Toor’s lawyer Advocate Imaan Mazari-Hazir expressed joy over the development, saying, “Our friend is once again among us.”
It is noteworthy that Toor was arrested on February 26 under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act for allegedly launching a malicious campaign against Pakistani state institutions. This led to his remand into custody and subsequent jail time.
The arrest of Toor led to widespread condemnation from human rights activists and the journalist community, with calls from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) for Toor’s immediate release and an end to his harassment, highlighting concerns over freedom of expression and the press in Pakistan.