An international film festival venue in Kerala on Thursday witnessed a protest seeking the immediate release of journalist Siddique Kappan who has been jailed in Uttar Pradesh for over three months.

A group of around 40 youths, including independent journalists, journalism students and filmgoers, held up placards at the Liberty Theatre compound where the third leg of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) was on.

Haroon Kavanoor, a Malappuram-based independent journalist who was among the organisers, told The Telegraph that the idea was to convey the message that journalism is not a crime.

“Siddique Kappan went to Hathras only as a journalist trying to bring out the truth,” Kavanoor said, citing how Kappan was arrested on October 5 on his way to the village in Uttar Pradesh where a Dalit girl had been gang-raped and murdered.

Kappan was arrested along with three others and slapped with provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and other penal sections for allegedly trying to foment law and order situation. But Kappan denies all the charges.

“We even got the solidarity of (Malayalam filmmaker) Kamal who was present at the venue. He expressed his support for the cause,” Kavanoor said, adding the entire event lasted about 20 minutes.

Kamal is the chairman of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy that organises the IFFK, the state-funded film festival.

The festival was held in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi before it moved to Thalassery in Kannur district, where it would culminate on February 27, and Palakkad.

Kappan had recently visited his ailing mother in Malappuram after being released on a five-day interim bail ordered by the Supreme Court. His regular bail application is expected to come up for hearing on March 2.