The Crossbill News Desk
A group of prominent international and regional rights organisations has intensified calls for the release of detained Kashmiri journalist and activist, raising concerns over prolonged incarceration and the use of stringent laws in the region.
A coalition of 34 civil society organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances and others, led by the Committee to Protect Journalists, has called for the immediate release of Kashmiri independent journalist Irfan Mehraj and human rights defender Khurran Parvez.
While Mehraj completed three years in pre-trial detention on Friday (March 20), Parvez has been lodged in prison in Delhi since four years.
In a joint statement issued on March 19, the groups said Mehraj was detained by the National Investigation Agency on March 20, 2023 under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Mehraj, a Srinagar-based independent journalist and founding editor of Wande Magazine, has written extensively on human rights issues in Kashmir and contributed to The Indian Express, Al Jazeera, Himal Southasian and Deutsche Welle.
Authorities have alleged that Mehraj was a close associate of Khurram Parvez, coordinator of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), and linked him to an investigation into alleged terror financing by NGOs.
Pointing out that JKCCS is a well-known civil society organisation in Jammu and Kashmir, the statement said that the charges against both Mehraj and Parvez were “politically motivated” and “fabricated”.
“Our organisations urge the Indian authorities to repeal repressive laws including the UAPA and the PSA and to create an enabling environment for civil society and the media to freely and independently operate in Jammu and Kashmir,” the statement said.
It adds a call to the “international community to urge the Indian government to comply with its international human rights obligations, release Irfan Mehraj, Khurram Parvez and all other detained Kashmiri human rights defenders.”
The arrest drew severe criticism from the UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor, Amnesty International, the Press Club of India and several other rights and pre-freedom of expression groups even at the time. Reepeated concerns have been raised over the use of the UAPA against journalists in Kashmir, including Mehraj.
According to an NIA press release dated March 21, 2023, Mehraj was arrested in connection with a case involving NGOs and trusts accused of diverting funds towards “secessionist and separatist activities” in Jammu and Kashmir. The agency referred to alleged links with banned outfits.
At least four journalists working for national publications, including The Indian Express, were called to police stations in Srinagar earlier this year, after reporting on a controversial exercise led by the Union Territory administration to collect information on mosques, according to Scroll.in.
Newslaundry reported that around 25 Kashmiri journalists have faced similar intimidation over the past year, with some subjected to repeated interrogations and demands for personal and financial information.
The developments have renewed debate over press freedom and civil liberties in the region, with rights groups urging greater safeguards for journalists and human rights defenders operating in conflict-sensitive areas.
A coalition of 34 civil society organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances and others, led by the Committee to Protect Journalists, has called for the immediate release of Kashmiri independent journalist Irfan Mehraj and human rights defender Khurran Parvez.
While Mehraj completed three years in pre-trial detention on Friday (March 20), Parvez has been lodged in prison in Delhi since four years.
In a joint statement issued on March 19, the groups said Mehraj was detained by the National Investigation Agency on March 20, 2023 under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Mehraj, a Srinagar-based independent journalist and founding editor of Wande Magazine, has written extensively on human rights issues in Kashmir and contributed to The Indian Express, Al Jazeera, Himal Southasian and Deutsche Welle.
Authorities have alleged that Mehraj was a close associate of Khurram Parvez, coordinator of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), and linked him to an investigation into alleged terror financing by NGOs.
Pointing out that JKCCS is a well-known civil society organisation in Jammu and Kashmir, the statement said that the charges against both Mehraj and Parvez were “politically motivated” and “fabricated”.
“Our organisations urge the Indian authorities to repeal repressive laws including the UAPA and the PSA and to create an enabling environment for civil society and the media to freely and independently operate in Jammu and Kashmir,” the statement said.
It adds a call to the “international community to urge the Indian government to comply with its international human rights obligations, release Irfan Mehraj, Khurram Parvez and all other detained Kashmiri human rights defenders.”
The arrest drew severe criticism from the UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor, Amnesty International, the Press Club of India and several other rights and pre-freedom of expression groups even at the time. Reepeated concerns have been raised over the use of the UAPA against journalists in Kashmir, including Mehraj.
According to an NIA press release dated March 21, 2023, Mehraj was arrested in connection with a case involving NGOs and trusts accused of diverting funds towards “secessionist and separatist activities” in Jammu and Kashmir. The agency referred to alleged links with banned outfits.
At least four journalists working for national publications, including The Indian Express, were called to police stations in Srinagar earlier this year, after reporting on a controversial exercise led by the Union Territory administration to collect information on mosques, according to Scroll.in.
Newslaundry reported that around 25 Kashmiri journalists have faced similar intimidation over the past year, with some subjected to repeated interrogations and demands for personal and financial information.
The developments have renewed debate over press freedom and civil liberties in the region, with rights groups urging greater safeguards for journalists and human rights defenders operating in conflict-sensitive areas.
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