NIA Arrests Prominent Human Rights Activist Khurram Parvez in Srinagar.

National Investigation Agency on Monday arrested prominent Human Rights Activist Khurram Parvez after conducting raids at his Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) office and residence in Srinagar.

The arrest has been made in connection with a case filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), including terror funding.

Khurram, the programme coordinator of JKCCS was arrested by NIA sleuths on Monday evening after lengthy searches at his office and Sonawar residence during which his phone, laptop and some books were seized, reports said.

On October 28 last year, the NIA had searched 10 locations, including that of Parvez, in the valley and one in Bangalore in a case pertaining to certain NGOs and trusts raising funds in India and abroad in the name of charitable activities and then using those funds for carrying out secessionist and separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The case was registered on October 8, 2020 under sections of the IPC and the UAPA on receiving “credible information that certain NGOs and trusts are collecting funds domestically and abroad through so-called donations and business contributions” and then using them to fund “terror activities” in the Union territory, the agency had said.

While Parvez was initially detained for questioning, the NIA formally arrested him in the evening. The arrest memo says he was arrested in the case, FIR RC-30/2021/NIA/DLI filed on November 6, under IPC Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging, attempting to wage, abetting waging of war against the government), and 121A (conspiracy to commit offences punishable by Section 121); and Sections 17 (raising funds for terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy), 18B (recruiting of any person or persons for terrorist act) and 40 (raising funds for a terrorist organisation) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Sources said Parvez’s family was informed about his arrest in the evening, and he is likely to be taken to New Delhi on Tuesday. The arrest memo says his brother, Sheikh Shaharyar, was informed about his arrest.

In October last year, the NIA had raided Parvez’s residence and office in Srinagar, along with the residences of several activists and journalists. Following the protests after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in 2016, Parvez was booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA) by the then Mehbooba Mufti-led government.

UN Concerned

The United Nations said it was disturbed by the reports of Khurram’s arrest, “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,” Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, tweeted.

David Kaye, a former UN Special Rapporteur, said Khurram’s arrest under terrorism charges was “yet another extraordinary abuse in Kashmir.”

World Organisation Again Torture (OMCT), a Geneva based non-profit which works with groups across the world to fight for human rights, said it was “deeply concerned” by Khurram’s arrest, “We are deeply concerned about the high risk of torture while in custody. We call for his immediate release,” OMCT said in a tweet.