Newsman produced before judicial magistrate:
QUETTA:Feb.17: Pakistani journalist Khawar Mehdi Rizvi was presented before a judicial magistrate on Monday and the next hearing was set for February 20.
Mr. Rizvi disappeared on December 16 when two French juornalists were arrested for violating Pakistani visa regulations by visiting Quetta.
Mr. Rizvi’s council and Human Rights commission of Pakistan Balochistan Chapter Chairman Zahoor Shahwani said his client was presented before Magistrate Irfan Siddiq for cases that were not auitable to be heard by an anti-terroist court (ATC). The cases were sent to an ATC last Friday.
Mr. Rizvi’s brother, Sohail Mehdi said the court would hear the cases again on February 20. He said Mr. Rizvi was upset and was complaining of body aches.
Mr. Rizvi, a Rawalpandi journalist, was affiliated with several national and international newspapers and magazines. He was also working for a French magazine.
He and two others, Syed Allah Noor and Abdullah Shakir, were charged on January 24 in various cases including some sections related to conspiracy against the state and sedition.
Reports stated that Mr. Rizvi, Mr. Noor and Mr. Shakir along with two French journalsits and local residents made a film about a fake Taliban training camp in Balochistan’s Qila Abdullah District. Mr. Shakir was the fictitious Taliban commander in the film.
Reports stated that the accused also talked about attempting to assissinate Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The reports also stated that the action by the three accused had damaged the Pakistan government’s credibility at the international level.
Source: Daily Time
Date:2/17/2004
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