Experts term the detention of Parvez as yet another extraordinary abuse in Kashmir by India’s ‘counter-terrorism’ NIA
Srinagar, Nov 22, (Asia Free Press): In the Indian Occupied Jammu Kashmir (IOJK), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Monday detained a prominent human rights activist Khurram Parvez after his office was raided in Srinagar, according to local media Free Press Kashmir (FPK).
The NIA sleuths assisted by the local police and Indian forces conducted searches at Parvez’s residence in the Sonwar area and the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) office at Amira Kadal Srinagar.
In the afternoon, Parvez was detained by NIA personnel after taking him along for questioning to NIA composite office at Church Lane Srinagar.
According to the memo promulgated by NIA, Parvez has been arrested in case 30/2021 & has invoked 120B, 121 & 121A of IPC and 17, 18, 18B, 38, and 40 of UAPA. The family has been handed over the arrest memo of Parvez and is likely to be flown to New Delhi on Tuesday, reported FPK.
The local police officials have confirmed to the local media that Parvez has been arrested in an already registered case at NIA.
Earlier, in October 2020, NIA conducted the raids at several locations in the valley including Parvez’s residence and office in Srinagar, Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP).
Parvez was also booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) in 2016, a day after he was interdicted from traveling to Switzerland to participate in the UN Human Rights Council session.
Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur Human Rights Defenders in a tweet condemned the human rights defenders arrest in IOJK saying, “I’m hearing disturbing reports that Khurram Parvez was arrested today in Kashmir & is at risk of being charged by authorities in India with terrorism-related crimes. He’s not a terrorist, he’s a Human Rights Defender.”
David Kaye, the former UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression took on Twitter and termed the detention of Parvez as yet another extraordinary abuse in Kashmir by India’s ‘counter-terrorism’ NIA.
Muslim League Jammu Kashmir led by Masarat Alam has condemned the arrest of prominent Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez. The spokesperson has said that such arrests depict the frustration of the Indian Government and has demanded his earliest release.
Parvez is the chairperson of the Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) and the programme coordinator of JKCCS. He had lost his leg in a landmine while monitoring the 2004 Parliamentary elections.
AFAD headed by human rights defender Khurram Parvez has won the 2016 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award for his work on enforced disappearances. Parvez is also a recipient of the 2006 Reebok Human Rights Award.
