The Illegal Detention of Khurram Parvez: 1000 Days behind Bars

On November 22, 2021, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Khurram Parvez for his fight for people of Kashmir. He faces charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), including criminal conspiracy and attempting to wage war against the Government of India.

Human rights groups argue that Parvez’s arrest is a reaction to his work documenting human rights abuses in Indian-illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He serves as the program coordinator for the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and chairs the Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearances.

The Free Khurram Campaign 2021 noted on X that it has been a thousand days since Parvez’s detention. His absence is felt deeply by his supporters, including human rights defenders and survivors.

On December 1, 2021, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called for Parvez’s release. This call was echoed by UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor on March 24, 2023, following Parvez’s arrest in a second case. This new case accuses him of financing terrorism through his work with JKCCS.

Before this, Irfan Mehraj, a former JKCCS associate and noted journalist, was also arrested and transferred to Delhi as part of the same investigation.

Despite his imprisonment, Parvez was honored with the Martin Ennals Award for human rights defenders last year. The award committee highlighted his dedication to nonviolent activism, which began after witnessing his grandfather’s tragic shooting at a protest. Parvez chose to fight the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir nonviolently rather than seeking revenge.

This is not Parvez’s first encounter with detention. In 2016, he was arrested just days before he was to address the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Indian immigration authorities had barred him from boarding his flight. After 75 days in jail, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court deemed his detention illegal and quashed it.

Khurram Parvez’s ongoing detention has sparked significant international concern and condemnation. His case underscores the tensions surrounding human rights activism in Kashmir and the challenges faced by those who expose abuses. As calls for his release continue, Parvez’s situation remains a focal point in discussions about human rights and political dissent in the region.