Detention of human rights defender Khurram Parvez
On 30 November 2016, human rights defender Mr Khurram Parvez was released from Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu after the court quashed the order of detention on 25 November 2016. The human rights defender had been arbitrary detained since 16 September 2016.
Khurram Parvez is the Chairperson of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), a collective of 13 non-governmental organizations from ten Asian countries that campaign on the issue of enforced disappearances. He is also the Program Coordinator of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), which is a coalition of various campaign, research and advocacy organizations based in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir which monitor and investigate human right abuses.
On 30 November 2016, human rights defender Mr Khurram Parvez was released from Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu after the court quashed the order of detention on 25 November 2016. The human rights defender had been arbitrary detained since 16 September 2016.
Khurram Parvez is the Chairperson of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), a collective of 13 non-governmental organizations from ten Asian countries, that campaign on the issue of enforced disappearances. He is also the Programme Coordinator of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), which is a coalition of various campaign, research and advocacy organisations based in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, which monitor and investigate human right abuses.
On 25 November 2016, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar quashed the order of detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and ordered the immediate release of Khuram Parvez. Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar in his order said Khuram Parvez’s detention was “illegal”. However, in the judge’s order there was a small clerical error, so the police at Jammu’s Kot Balwal jail decided to keep Khurram Parvez in detention until a corrigendum could be issued. On 29 November 2016 at 3 pm the Jammu’s Kot Balwal jail received the corrigendum, but did not release Khurram Parvez. Instead, at around 5 pm of the same day, he was taken to the joint interrogation centre at Meeran Sahib, Jammu. No reasons were provided for his continued detention to the human rights defender or his legal counsel. Khurram Parvez was released on the morning of 30 November.
On 14 September 2016, the human rights defender was stopped by immigration officials at the Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi, and prevented from travelling to Geneva to attend the 33rd session of the United Nation Human Rights Council. On 16 September 2016, police arrested Khurram Parvez, and detained him in Kothi Bagh police station, Srinagar. He was not notified of the reason for his detention, nor allowed access to a lawyer. JKCCS submitted a number of applications for his release. On 20 September 2016, following an order from a judge to release Khurram Parvez from detention, the human rights defender was immediately detained a second time by police in Kupwara under the Public Safety Act. He was then transferred to Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu on 21 September 2016.
Front Line Defenders welcomes the release of Khurram Parvez as it believes the arrest, detention and harassment against him to be directly linked to his peaceful and legitimate activities in documenting human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, including enforced disappearances.
On 20 September 2016, following an order from a judge to release Mr Khurram Parvez from preventive detention, the human rights defender was immediately detained a second time by police in Kupwara under the Public Safety Act. He was then transferred to Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu on 21 September 2016.
Khurram Parvez is the Chairperson of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), a collective of 13 non-governmental organizations from ten Asian countries, that campaign on the issue of enforced disappearances. He is also the Programme Coordinator of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), which is a coalition of various campaign, research and advocacy organisations based in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, which monitor and investigate human right abuses. He was scheduled to brief the 33rd session of the United Nation Human Rights Council regarding the latest acts of violence in Kashmir, following the killing of the Kashmiri separatist leader Burhan Wani on 8 July 2016.
On 14 September 2016, the human rights defender was stopped by immigration officials at the Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi, and prevented from travelling to Geneva to attend the 33rd session of the United Nation Human Rights Council. He was detained for 1.5 hours at the airport and was informed by immigration officials that due to orders from the Intelligence Bureau, he could not travel to Geneva. Despite requests from Khurram Parvez of a written statement detailing his travel ban, he was not given any from the Intelligence Bureau.
It is alleged by police that on 15 September 2016, Khurram Parvez incited people to throw stones and march towards the Tourist Reception Centre in Srinagar. On 16 September 2016, at approximately 12:30a.m., police arrested Khurram Parvez, and detained him in Kothi Bagh police station, Srinagar. He was not notified of the reason for his detention, nor allowed access to a lawyer. JKCCS submitted a number of applications for his release based on the illegality of his detention,
On 20 September 2016, a judge ordered the release of Khurram Parvez from preventive detention. A copy of this order was sent to the superintendent of the location where Khurram Parvez was being detained in Kupwara since 16 September, and he was subsequently released. However,the human rights defender was detained again immediately by police under the Public Safety Act, but no further details were given of the charges he faces.
On 21 September 2016, the lawyer of Khurram Parvez questioned the acting Chief Judicial Magistrate regarding the continuous judicial harassment of Khurram Parvez despite the court order which issued his release. Khurram Parvez was later transferred to Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu, 300km away from his family and legal team.
Front Line Defenders is concerned by the harassment, arrest and detention of human rights defender Khurram Parvez, which it believes to be directly linked to his peaceful and legitimate activities in documenting human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, including enforced disappearances.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in India to:
1. Immediately and unconditionally release Khurram Parvez, and drop all charges against him, as Front Line Defenders believes that he is being held solely as a result of his legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights;
2. Lift the travel ban on Khurram Parvez, as it is believed that this measure has also been taken against him for his human rights work;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in India are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
On 16 September 2016, human rights defender Mr Khurram Parvez was arrested by the police and detained in Kothi Bagh police station, Srinagar. He has been arrested without arrest warrant and was given no reasons for his detention.
Khurram Parvez is the Chairperson of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), a collective of 13 non-governmental organizations from ten Asian countries that campaign on the issue of enforced disappearances. He is also the Program Coordinator of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), which is a coalition of various campaign, research and advocacy organizations based in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir which monitor and investigate human right abuses.
On 16 September 2016, police arrested human rights defender Khurram Parvez at around 12:30am and detained in Kothi Bagh police station, Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir. He was not given any court order or the reasons for his detention.
On 14 September 2016, the human rights defender was stopped by Immigration officials at the Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi from travelling to Geneva to attend the 33rd session of the United Nation Human Rights Council. He was detained for 1.5 hours at the airport and was informed by the Immigration officials that due to orders from the Intelligence Bureau, he could not travel to Geneva despite having the necessary documents, such as a visa and an invitation. Khurram Parvez was not given any written proof of the orders from the Intelligence Bureau even though he repeatedly asked for proof for his reason to be denied travel.
