Irfan Mehraj

Last updated
Irfan Mehraj
Born
Kashmir, India
EducationM.A (Mass communication)
Alma mater University of Kashmir
Occupation(s)Journalist and Human rights defender

Irfan Mehraj is an Indian journalist and human rights activist from Kashmir. [1] He works with Deutsche Welle and also writes for various publications like The Indian Express, TRT World, The Wire, The Caravan, Himal Southasian and NewArab. Irfan has specially written about the challenges facing the Muslim community in Kashmir. He was the Editor of Two Circles and the founding editor of Wande Magazine. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Early life

Meraj was born at Kashmir, India. Mehraj successfully obtained his master's degree in mass communication and journalism from the esteemed University of Kashmir. [5] [6] [7]

Detention

On March 20, 2023, He was apprehended by the National Investigation Agency in Srinagar after being summoned for questioning. The NIA alleged that Mehraj was affiliated with the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, a human rights organization renowned for documenting instances of human rights violations perpetrated by authorities in Kashmir, [8] a region predominantly inhabited by Muslims. In connection with the same case, the NIA had previously detained Khurram Parvez, human rights activist and leader of JKCCS, on charges of financing terrorist activities. [9] [10] [11]

Condemnations

Many organizations and political leaders had condemned the Indian government on Irfan's arrest. Amnesty International had requested the Indian authorities to immediately release Irfan. [12]

Mehbooba Mufti the leader of the PDP, has also voiced her disapproval of Mehraj's arrest. In a Facebook post, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti criticized the arrest, stating that in Kashmir, criminals are allowed to roam freely while journalists like Irfan Mehraj, who are simply doing their duty by speaking the truth, are unjustly detained. The Press Club of India (PCI) also condemned Mehraj's arrest, [13] emphasizing their strong opposition to the imposition of UAPA on media personnel. They expressed concern over the NIA's sudden arrest of Irfan Mehraj under the UAPA law, viewing it as a clear indication of the law's misuse to suppress freedom of speech and expression. The PCI demanded his immediate release. [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mufti Mohammad Sayeed</span> Indian politician

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was an Indian politician who served twice as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, during November 2002–November 2005 and March 2015–January 2016. He was also Minister of Tourism in Rajiv Gandhi's cabinet and Home Minister of India in V. P. Singh's cabinet. He started in the wing of the National Conference led by G. M. Sadiq, which later merged into the Indian National Congress. He switched to Janata Dal in 1987, eventually founding his own regional party, People's Democratic Party (PDP). The PDP continues to be a political force in Jammu and Kashmir, currently led by his daughter Mehbooba Mufti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mehbooba Mufti</span> Indian politician (born 1959)

Mehbooba Mufti Sayed is an Indian politician of the PDP, who served as the 9th Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 4 April 2016 to 19 June 2018. She was the first Female CM of J&K. After the revocation of the special status (autonomy) of the state in August 2019, Mufti was detained without any charges at first and later under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act. She was released only in October 2020, after the Supreme Court of India quizzed the government about the length of her detention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir</span> Ongoing separatist militancy in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir

The insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, also known as the Kashmir insurgency, is an ongoing separatist militant insurgency against the Indian administration in Jammu and Kashmir, a territory constituting the southwestern portion of the larger geographical region of Kashmir, which has been the subject of a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yasin Malik</span> Kashmiri separatist leader (born 1966)

Yasin Malik is a Kashmiri separatist leader and former militant who advocates the separation of Kashmir from both India and Pakistan. He is the Chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, which originally spearheaded armed militancy in the Kashmir Valley. Malik renounced violence in 1994 and adopted peaceful methods to come to a settlement of the Kashmir conflict. In May 2022, Malik pleaded guilty to charges of criminal conspiracy and waging war against the state, and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act</span> Indian law to prevent unlawful activities

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is an Indian law aimed at prevention of unlawful activities associations in India. Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India. The most recent amendment of the law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2019 has made it possible for the Union Government to designate individuals as terrorists without following any formal judicial process. UAPA is also known as the "Anti-terror law".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Investigation Agency</span> Federal investigation agency in India

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a specialised counter-terrorism law enforcement agency in India. The agency is empowered to deal with the investigation of terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states under written proclamation from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The primary mandate of the National Investigation Agency is to investigate and prosecute offences that have national and cross-border implications, specifically focusing on terrorism, insurgency, and other related matters. It is empowered to investigate cases that involve threats to the sovereignty, security, and integrity of India. It has the authority to conduct searches, make seizures and arrests, as well as to collect evidence and maintain a database of terrorist organisations and their members.

Parvez Imroz is a Kashmiri human rights lawyer and a civil rights activist in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Human rights abuses in Kashmir have been perpetrated by various belligerents in the territories controlled by both India and Pakistan since the two countries' conflict over the region began with their first war in 1947–1948, shortly after the partition of British India. The organized breaches of fundamental human rights in Kashmir are tied to the contested territorial status of the region, over which India and Pakistan have fought multiple wars. More specifically, the issue pertains to abuses committed in Indian-administered Kashmir and in Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burhan Wani</span> Kashmiri Islamist militant (1994–2016)

Burhan Wani was a commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, a pro-Pakistan Kashmiri Islamist militant group participating in the anti-Indian insurgency of the Kashmir conflict.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghulam Nabi Lone</span> Indian politician

Ghulam Nabi Lone (Hanjura) is an Indian politician and former cabinet minister of Jammu and Kashmir, belonging to the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party. An Advocate by profession, Lone was part of the 12th Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from Charari Sharief constituency.

Farooq Ahmed Dar known by his nom de guerre Bitta Karate, is a Kashmiri-separatist militant, who currently serves as the chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (R) in the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016–2017 Kashmir unrest</span> Pro Independence demonstrations in Indian Administered Kashmir

The 2016–2017 unrest in Kashmir, also known as the Burhan aftermath, refers to protests in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, chiefly in the Kashmir Valley. It started after the killing of militan leader Burhan Wani by Indian security forces on 8 July 2016. Wani was a commander of the Kashmir-based Islamist militant organisation Hizbul Mujahideen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khurram Parvez</span> Indian human rights activist

Khurram Parvez is a Kashmiri human rights activist. He is the chairperson of Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) and the program coordinator of Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society. Khurram is a recipient of the 2006 Reebok Human Rights Award. Parvez was included in Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in 2022.

Kamran Yusuf, also known as Kamran Yousuf is a Kashmiri multimedia journalist. As of 2022, Kamran is a staffer at NewsClick. He also works as a freelance multimedia journalist for various international organisations. In 2017, he was booked under UAPA and lodged at Tihar Jail. Many national as well as international organisations including Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Federation of Journalists, Amnesty International and more issued statements for his immediate release. He got bail after six months and was discharged from all the charges on 16 March 2022 by Delhi court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Media in Jammu and Kashmir</span>

Media in Jammu and Kashmir comprises a diverse landscape of print, electronic and digital media outlets. The region is served by a variety of newspapers, television channels, radio stations, and online news platforms, reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019</span> Act of the Indian Parliament

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 is an act of the parliament of India containing provisions to reconstitute the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Indian-administered union territories (UTs) called Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, and becoming effective on 31 October 2019. A bill for the act was introduced by the Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, in the Rajya Sabha on 5 August 2019 and was passed on the same day. It was then passed by the Lok Sabha on 6 August 2019 and it received the president's assent on 9 August 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election</span> Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, India

The 2024 Legislative Assembly elections in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to elect 90 members of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are expected to be held after the 2024 Indian general election, which is scheduled from 19 April to 1 June 2024. Legally, the election shall be held no later than 30 September 2024.

Asif Sultan, also known as Aasif Sultan, is a Kashmiri journalist who has been jailed by India since August 2018. On October 17, 2019, Sultan received the annual John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award by the National Press Club of America. In April 2022, Aasif was granted bail but not released, instead he was re-arrested and booked under the Public Safety Act.

Fahad Shah is an Indian journalist from Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. He is the founder and editor of the news magazine The Kashmir Walla. He was a recipient of a Human Rights Press Award in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Association for Protection of Civil Rights</span> Indian Non-profit Organisation

Association for Protection of Civil Rights is a non-governmental organization which was established in 2006 for the protection of human rights of the exploited-deprived sections of the society. It is composed of advocate, social activities and grassroots paralegal social workers.

References

  1. ↑ "NIA court takes cognisance in alleged terror-funding case against human rights defender Irfan Mehraj – The Leaflet". theleaflet.in. 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  2. ↑ Al Jazeera Staff. "India arrests Kashmiri journalist amid ongoing media crackdown". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  3. ↑ "Kashmiri freelance journalist arrested by NIA worked with human rights group JKCCS". The Indian Express. 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  4. ↑ "The Work of Irfan Mehraj, a Fearless Journalist Who Offered Fresh Perspectives on Kashmir". The Wire. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  5. ↑ "NIA Arrests Kashmiri Journalist Irfan Mehraj in Case Related to Alleged 'Terror Funding' by NGO". NewsClick. 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  6. ↑ PTI. "NGO terror funding case: Court sends Khurram Parvez, Irfan Mehraj to 10-day NIA custody". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  7. ↑ "NIA arrests Kashmir journalist in 'terror funding' case". Newslaundry . 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  8. ↑ "NIA arrests Kashmir journalist in terror funding case, Mehbooba Mufti reacts". India Today. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  9. ↑ "Asked to stop by "for five minutes," Kashmiri reporter now facing possible life imprisonment | RSF". rsf.org. 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  10. ↑ "Court sends Irfan Mehraj to 10-day NIA custody". Muslim Mirror . 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  11. ↑ ലേഖകൻ, മാധ്യമം (2023-03-21). "കശ്മീരി മാധ്യമപ്രവർത്തകൻ ഇർഫാൻ മെഹ്‌രാജിനെ എന്‍.ഐ.എ അറസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്തു | Madhyamam". www.madhyamam.com (in Malayalam). Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  12. ↑ Bharathi, Vartha. "Press Club of India demands immediate release of Irfan Mehraj". english.varthabharati.in. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  13. ↑ "Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj held under UAPA". The Siasat Daily . 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  14. ↑ "India: Authorities must immediately release Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj". Amnesty International. 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  15. ↑ "इरफान मेहराज को NIA ने किया गिरफ्तार, पत्रकार संस्थाओं ने की आलोचना". www.satyahindi.com. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.