A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma stressed the need to handle such cases differently from those involving individuals unknowingly drawn into crime.
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has reduced the jail terms of two women convicted of supporting the banned terrorist group Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), an affiliate of ISIS. The court observed that while encrypted social media platforms permit privacy and the freedom of speech and expression, their misuse by terrorists and banned organisations has to be borne in mind by courts while awarding sentences.
A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma stressed the need to handle such cases differently from those involving individuals unknowingly drawn into crime.
Acknowledging the proliferation of crimes via the internet and social media, the court stated,
“The appellants (Beigh and Shaikh) were technologically adept and utilized their education to promote terrorism and incite violence.”
The court emphasized that while encrypted social media platforms enable privacy and freedom of speech, their misuse by terrorist organizations must be considered during sentencing.
Hina Bashir Beigh’s sentence was reduced from eight to six years, and Sadiya Anwar Shaikh’s from seven to six years. The court highlighted the women’s active involvement with the ISKP, their use of fake identities, and their educational qualifications to facilitate terrorism. It noted that Beigh permitted her husband, Jahanzaib Sami, to use her laptop and that they shared devices to further their activities.
