Khurram Parvez

Last updated

Khurram Parvez
Khurram Parvez.jpg
Born1977
Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Occupation(s)Chairperson, Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD)
Known for Reebok Human Rights Award
SpouseSameena Khurram
Children1
Awards Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (2023)

Khurram Parvez is a Kashmiri human rights activist. [1] [2] He is the chairperson of Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) [3] and the program coordinator of Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society. [4] [5] Khurram is a recipient of the 2006 Reebok Human Rights Award. [6] [7] Parvez was included in Time 's annual list of the 100 most influential people in 2022. [8]

Contents

Education and Work

Parvez holds a Masters in Mass Communication from Kashmir University. He was a Chevening Fellow at University of Glasgow in 2005. [9] [10]

He co-founded Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) along with Parvez Imroz in 2000, and serves as its program coordinator. JKCCS works on building alliances among local civil society organizations and publishes reports on human rights violations in the territory. [10] [11]

He serves as the Chairperson of Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances and the Deputy Secretary-General of the International Federation for Human Rights. [12] He holds the position of Distinguished Scholar at the Political Conflict, Gender and People’s Rights Initiative at the University of California, Berkeley's Center for Race and Gender. [13]

In 2023, Parvez was awarded the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders. [14]

Detentions

2016 arrest

On 14 September 2016, he was first stopped by Indian authorities at New Delhi airport to prevent him from attending the 33rd UN Human Rights Council Session in Geneva to brief UN bodies, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and foreign governments on the alleged atrocities committed by Indian state forces in Jammu and Kashmir during 2016 Kashmir violence. [4] [15]

Parvez was later arrested on 15 September by Indian officials from his home in Srinagar. [16] Later on 16 September 2016, Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society stated that Khurram Parvez has been detained without formal arrest or notifications, and in violation of his rights to information, and legal counsel. [17] [18] [19] On 21 September, a day after a sessions court ordered his release, Khurram Parvez had been detained a second time under Public Safety Act (PSA). [20] [21] On 25 Nov 2016, Jammu Kashmir High Court quashed his detention, even then he was not released from prison. [22] After 76 days of detention, [23] on 30 November he was finally released from prison following the orders [24] of Jammu and Kashmir High Court. [25]

Cases under UAPA

Parvez was arrested on November 22, 2021 by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). In this case, Parvez was accused of being part of a "larger conspiracy" that involved recruiting overground workers for Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based organization designated as a terrorist group by India. His home and office were raided. [26] [27]

In March 2023, Parvez was arrested in another case, nearly two and a half years after the FIR was filed, although he had already been detained since November 2021. Journalist Irfan Mehraj, alleged Hizbul Mujahideen commander Ghulam Hassan Ganai, JKCCS president Parvez Imroz, and Natasha Rather, a member of the JKCCS, have also been accused in this case which was filed on 18 October 2020. As part of the evidence, the NIA referenced two human rights reports published by JKCCS, titled "Structures of Violence" (2015) and the "Torture Report" (2019), arguing that these reports promoted secessionism and harmed India’s image under the guise of human rights work. [28]

Reactions to arrest

His arrest has been seen as a part of the authorities' ongoing human rights violations in Kashmir and criticized by several international human rights organizations. [29] Some lawyers have voiced concerns, suggesting that treating Human Rights reports published by JKCCS as evidence of terrorism could deter other groups from investigating and reporting on human rights abuses. [28]

Personal life

Parvez is married to Sameena Khurram and has a son. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirwaiz Umar Farooq</span> Kashmiri religious leader (born 1973)

Mirwaiz Mohammad Umar Farooq is the 14th Mirwaiz of Kashmir. He is a Kashmiri separatist political leader. He is also an Islamic religious cleric of Kashmir Valley.

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 Jammu and Kashmir range from mass killings, enforced disappearances, torture, rape and sexual abuse to political repression and suppression of freedom of speech. The Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Border Security Personnel (BSF) have been accused of committing severe human rights abuses against Kashmiri civilians. According to Seema Kazi, militant groups have also been held responsible for similar crimes, but the vast majority of abuses have been perpetrated by the armed forces of the Indian government.

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.

International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Kashmir (IPTK) is a People's Tribunal formed by Indian human rights activists for the purpose of probing human right violations in the Indian-administered territory of Jammu and Kashmir, and bridging the gap between people living in Kashmir and rest of India. It was first convened in 2008 by Parvez Imroz, Angana P. Chatterji, Gautam Navlakha and Zaheer-Ud-Din. Chatterji served as convener until December 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gautam Navlakha</span> Indian human rights activist and journalist

Gautam Navlakha is an Indian human rights activist, journalist, and prisoner. He has written on left-wing extremism and is a critic of army and state atrocities in Kashmir. He is a member of People's Union for Democratic Rights, Delhi. He is also an editorial consultant of the Economic and Political Weekly. He resides in New Delhi.

Parveena Ahangar is the Founder and Chairperson of Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Masarat Alam Bhat is a Kashmiri Islamist activist and a political separatist leader of Jammu and Kashmir. He is currently serving as the chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Muslim League, and also serves as the interim chairman of Geelani faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference.

Qasim Faktoo is a Kashmiri separatist and militant, serving life imprisonment for the murder of Hriday Nath Wanchoo. He had been among the earliest members of Hizbul Mujahideen.

Farooq Ahmed Dar known by his nom de guerre Bitta Karate, is a Kashmiri Terrorist, 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 Kashmir Riots, 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 militant leader Burhan Wani by Indian security forces on 8 July 2016. Wani was a commander of the Kashmir-based Islamist militant organisation Hizbul Mujahideen.

The Kashmir conflict has been beset by large scale usage of sexual violence by multiple belligerents since its inception.

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">2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown</span> Lockdown imposed after revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir

The 2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown was a lockdown and communications blackout that had been imposed throughout the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir following the revocation of Article 370 which lasted until February 2021, with the goal of preemptively curbing unrest, violence and protests. Thousands of civilians, mostly young men, had and have been detained in the crackdown. The Indian government had stated that the tough lockdown measures and substantially increased deployment of security forces had been aimed at curbing terrorism. The government did not want a repeat of the death and injuries seen during the 2016–2017 Kashmir unrest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978</span> Preventive detention law in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir

The Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978 (PSA) is a preventive detention law under which a person is taken into custody to prevent them from acting harmfully against "the security of the state or the maintenance of the public order" in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Whereas PSA applies only to Jammu and Kashmir, it is very similar to the National Security Act that is used by the central and other state governments of India for preventive detention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asif Sultan</span> Journalist arrested in Kashmir

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.

Irfan Mehraj is a journalist and human rights activist from Kashmir. 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.

AasiaJeelani (1974–2004) was a Kashmiri journalist and human rights activist. After completing her studies in Srinagar, Kashmir, she worked for Agence France Presse (AFP) and then the Times of India. She set up the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) and the Kashmiri Women's Initiative for Peace and Disarmament (KWIPD), editing the latter's newsletter. On 20 April 2004, Jeelani and other activists were monitoring elections when the car she was travelling in was blown up by an improvised explosive device and she was killed. She is remembered as a pioneering feminist journalist.

References

  1. ↑ Chatterji, Angana P. "The Militarized Zone", in Ali, Tariq; Bhat, Hilal; Chatterji, Angana P.; Khatun, Habbah; Misra, Pankaj; Roy, Arundhati (24 October 2011). Kashmir: The Case for Freedom. Verso Books. p. 123. ISBN   9781844677351.
  2. ↑ Quraishi, Humra (2004). Kashmir, the Untold Story. Penguin Books India. p. 156. ISBN   9780143030874.
  3. ↑ Secretariat, AFAD. "Stop Harassment Of Human Rights Defenders In Kashmir!". www.afad-online.org. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  4. 1 2 Bhatnagar, Gaurav Vivek. "Kashmiri Human Rights Activist Headed for UN Meet Detained at Delhi Airport". The Wire (India) . Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  5. ↑ "Rights activist Khurram Pervez detained". Kashmir Monitor. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  6. ↑ Mozumder, Suman Guha (9 May 2006). "J&K activist gets Reebok Human Rights Award". Rediff News. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  7. ↑ "Award to Khurram vindicates fight for human rights: Imroz". Greater Kashmir . Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  8. ↑ "Khurram Parvez 'modern-day David': Time 100 most influential list". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  9. ↑ Mohan, Saadhya (23 November 2021). "Who Is Khurram Parvez, the 'Human Rights Defender' of J&K Arrested Under UAPA?". The Quint . Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 Bhat, Tariq (23 November 2021). "Who is Khurram Parvez, Kashmiri human rights activist arrested by NIA?". The Week . Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "Opinions adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at its 96th session: Opinion No. 8/2023 concerning Khurram Parvez (India)". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights . 5 June 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 June 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  12. ↑ "India: Two years of arbitrary detention of Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez". International Federation for Human Rights . 21 November 2023. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  13. ↑ "Political Conflict, Gender and People's Rights Initiative | Center for Race and Gender". crg.berkeley.edu. Archived from the original on 14 December 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  14. ↑ "Khurram Parvez". Martin Ennals Award. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "Kashmiri activist Khurram Parvez detained day after being stopped at Delhi's IGI". The Hindustan Times. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  16. ↑ "India: Activist Blocked from UN Meeting, Detained". Human Rights Watch. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2017. Khurram Parvez was arrested in his home on 15 September 2016, a day after being prevented from leaving the country with a group of rights activists who were traveling to Geneva to raise concerns about violations during the security force crackdown in Jammu and Kashmir to contain violent street protests.
  17. ↑ "J&K Police arrests human rights activist Khurram Parvez". The Indian Express. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  18. ↑ Raj, Suhasini (15 September 2016). "India Prevents Kashmiri Activist From Traveling to U.N. Meeting". The New York Times . Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  19. ↑ "India: Kashmir police arrest activist Khurram Parvez". AlJazeera . Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  20. ↑ Masood, Bashaarat (22 September 2016). "Day after court 'sets free' activist Khurram Parvez, J&K govt books him under PSA". The Indian Express . Retrieved 22 January 2017. A day after a sessions court ordered his release, the Jammu and Kashmir government invoked the Public Safety Act (PSA) against human rights activist Khurram Parvez.
  21. ↑ "India: Kashmiri human rights activist re-arrested". Amnesty International. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2017. Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez has been detained a second time, after a court ordered his release from administrative detention on Tuesday.
  22. ↑ Vivek Bhatnagar, Gaurav (28 November 2022). "Khurram Parvez Remains in Custody Despite HC Order Overruling Detention". The Wire. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  23. ↑ "Kashmir: Human rights activist Khurram Parvez released". Al Jazeera English. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2017. Parvez said on his Facebook page the 76-day detention was a difficult time for him and his family.
  24. ↑ "High Court orders release of prominent Kashmiri human rights activist". The Express Tribune . Reuters. 26 November 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2017. A court in Indian held Kashmir on Friday ordered police to release a prominent Kashmiri human rights activist arrested two months ago on charges of involvement in activities against the public order, saying authorities had no evidence.
  25. ↑ Bukhari, Fayaz (30 November 2016). "Released from jail, Kashmiri activist vows to fight for prisoner rights". Reuters . Retrieved 22 January 2017. A prominent Kashmiri human rights activist who was released from prison on Wednesday said his two-month detention had strengthened his resolve to highlight violations against prisoners in India's restive Himalayan state.
  26. ↑ "Khurram Parvez: Kashmiri rights activist arrested under anti-terror law". BBC News. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  27. ↑ "How a terrorism law in India is being used to silence Modi's critics". the Guardian. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  28. 1 2 Sharma, Betwa (28 August 2024). "How The Case Against Kashmiri Activist Khurram Parvez Criminalises Human Rights Reports & Fact-Finding". article-14.com. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  29. ↑ "India: Release Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez, arbitrarily detained for 1,000 days". International Federation for Human Rights . 19 August 2024. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.

Bibliography

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.