Who is Khurram Parvez, The Kashmiri Activist Arrested Recently?

Khurram Parvez one of the prominent Rights Activist in Kashmir was arrested by NIA on Monday after lengthy searches at his office and Sonawar residence during which his phone, laptop and some books were seized, reports said.

Unsurprisingly this is not Khurram’s first run in with the ruling BJP government, he has been arrested in the past as well under other draconian laws.

Right now he has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and has been booked under many other charges.

He along with Jammu & Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) are known for documenting unrest in Kashmir.

Here is all you need to know about the recently arrested Khurram Parvez.

A 44 year old journalist by education and having two children Khurram Parvez serves as the programme coordinator of JKCCS and has been one its founding members in 2000.

For Parvez his role as an activist began when he was a student. In 1996, Parvez, at that time a Kashmir University student started a helpline to provide counselling and guidance to students affected by conflict in the valley.

Three years later, he was heavily involved with activities of Association of Parents of Disappearance Persons, a Srinagar based group.

For the past twenty years JKCCS and Parvez have been documenting various human rights issues in J&K.

The activist himself has also been the recipient of Chevening Fellowship at the University of Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Right now the Kashmir based activist also serves as the chairperson of the Philippines-based Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD).

On 20 April while monitoring elections in Lolab, a north Kashmir, Parvez and his associates were the target of a IED blast. His colleague Aasiya Jeelani passed away due to injuries, he survived but had his leg amputated.

Two years later, he was honored with 2006 Reebok International Human Rights Award, a recognition for his efforts to fight for human rights in Kashmir.

His work in JKCCS has garnered international recognition but has led to run ins with the BJP government including previous arrest.

Parvez was previously arrested in 2016 as well when Kashmir was reeling under civil unrest sparked by the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. On 14 September 2016, Parvez was stopped by immigration authorities at the Indira Gandhi International Airport from boarding a flight to Geneva, where he was scheduled to attend a UNHRC session.

He was imprisoned for four days at a sub-jail in Kupwara under Sections 107 (security for keeping the peace) and 151 (design to commit any cognizable offence) of the CrPC, and upon his release, he was re-arrested by the BJP-PDP regime this time under the Public Safety Act, another draconian law.

He was later relocated to the Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu. After serving 76 days in prison, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court quashed his detention under PSA.

“The Indian State seeks to isolate the people of… Kashmir at all costs, and disallowing human rights activists access to the UN is a part of this attempt to isolate and ensure impunity for violence and denial of human rights,” the JKCCS had said in a statement at the time.

The Intelligence Bureau had said that the activist had been stopped from proceeding to the UN as he had an “intention to internationalise the ongoing disturbance in Kashmir and castigate Indian policies had approached the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and other UN Special Rapporteurs,” The Indian Express has reported.

That year, his detention had also elicited a blistering editorial by The New York Times, which accused the Modi government of “inflaming the situation” in Kashmir by arresting Parvez and also condemned what it called “spurious charges”.

He “should be released and allowed to travel,” the editorial said.

Recent Arrest.

As per his family, a team of NIA officials visited their house at Srinagar on Monday at around 8 am. “They did the searches till 2 pm. Khurram was taken to the NIA camp office, which is just nearby,” Sheikh Shariyar, his brother, told The Quint over the phone. “They took all his gadgets but ours were spared.

Then at 6 pm, we were called and informed that Khurram will be arrested and taken to Delhi. We were asked to give him clothes. They also handed his arrest memo to us.”

As per the arrest memo that was handed over to Parvez’s family, the NIA has brought charges under Section 120B (party to a criminal conspiracy) and Section 121 (waging war against the state) of the Indian Penal Code and under Section 17 (funding a terrorist act), Section 18 (conspiracy), Section 18B (recruitment for the commission of a terrorist act), Section 30 (membership of a terrorist organization) and Section 40 (offences for raising funds for a terrorist organization) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Global Outcry

Given the standing of Khurram Parvez on the international forum, his arrest has evoked strong reactions from various Human Rights associations across the world.

David Kaye, a former UN Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression, tweeted, “If, as reported, Khurram Parvez has been arrested by India’s ‘counter-terrorism’ NIA, it’s yet another extraordinary abuse in Kashmir.”

Geneva-based World Organisation Against Torture called for Parvez’s immediate release, saying that they were “deeply concerned about the high risk of torture while in custody.”

“I’m hearing disturbing reports that Khurram Parvez was arrested today [Monday] in Kashmir and 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,” Mary Lawlor, U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, said in a tweet.

The Rafto Foundation, a body working for the global promotion of human rights, in a statement, appealed to India to “immediately release Mr. Parvez.”

“We observe with regret that the Indian government intimidates citizens working to secure the values and norms enshrined both in the Constitution of India and in international treaties ratified by the government itself. We appeal to Indian authorities to respect Mr. Parvez’s habeas corpus rights and release him from detention without delay,” Jostein Hole Kobbeltvedt, Director of the Rafto Foundation, said in a statement.

The World Organization Against Torture, based in Geneva, also expressed its deep concern. “We are deeply concerned about the high risk of torture while in custody. We call for his immediate release,” the organisation said.

Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director for Human Rights Watch, expressed “shock” over Parvez’s arrest. “At a time when Kashmiris are protesting wrongful killings and other abuses, Indian authorities should be working with human rights activists to address concerns instead of arresting them,” she said.

(Inputs from The Quint)