NIA’s colonial policing & military warfare aims to terrorize Human Rights’ defenders & journalists in IOJK: LFOVK

ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (SABAH): Legal Forum for Kashmir (LFOVK) has said that the Indian National Investigating Agency (NIA’s) colonial policing and military warfare aims to terrorize Human Rights’ defenders and journalists in Indian occupied Jammu Kashmir (IOJK).

The Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested Khurram Parvez from his residence Sonwar Srinagar. As per the family sources, the agency raided his home and office and confiscated some of his books, phone and laptop.

Khurram Parvez, is Program Coordinator of the JKCCS (Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society: a Srinagar based organisation that monitors and investigates human right abuses) and the Chairperson of the AFAD (Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances: a consortium of 13 NGOs from 10 Asian countries that campaign against enforced disappearances)

On 14 September 2016 Khuram Parvez was stopped from travelling to Geneva to participate in the United Nations Human Rights Council on orders from the Intelligence Bureau, and was later booked under draconian law.

Legal Forum for Kashmir (LFOVK) denounces this abuse of the UAPA and other draconian laws by the Indian authorities to silence human rights defenders and dissidents under the guise of national security. Almost 2300 people have been arrested in Indian occupied Kashmir since disputed region’s semi-autonomous status was unilaterally revoked by Government of India.

Our organisations condemn the arbitrary use of anti-terrorism law against Khurram Parvez and call for his immediate and unconditional release. Additionally, we demand an end to the harassment of human rights defenders, political activists and journalists. The government of India must remove all legal and administrative barriers that impede their legitimate work. We also call on the international community, notably the other members of the United Nations Human Rights Council of which India is currently a member, to insist that India comply with its human rights obligations, including by allowing Indian human rights defenders to freely engage in their work and to enjoy their rights to free expression, peaceful assembly, and association, Legal Forum for Kashmir said in the statement.