Press Release - 16th September 2016

India has become quite shameless in its cruelty perpetrated in Indian administered Kashmir. A latest incident adds to the pile of unlawful acts of Indian government in Kashmir. This time it is a prominent figure of Kashmir, Mr Khurram Pervez, who has been subjected to unlawful arrest and detention. Mr Khurram has been raising voice about human rights violations and other acts of torture happening in Indian administered Kashmir for years. His work focuses mainly on  thousands of enforced disappearances by the Indian forces. Presently he heads Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) as chairperson. He also acts as program coordinator for Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society. Earlier this week he has been barred to travel to Geneva where he was to attend ongoing session of UN Human Rights Council. He reached Indira Gandhi International airport Delhi to take a flight to Geneva. He had valid visa and travel documents yet he was not allowed to travel without giving any legal reason. Subsequent to this incident Mr Khurram Pervez was arrested this morning from his home in Srinagar at 12:30 am, 16th September 2016. News regarding his arrest has been appearing in local and international media. (See references at the end)

URGENT APPEAL FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ITS CHAIRPERSON, KHURRAM PARVEZ

Khurram Parvez, Chairperson of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) and a staunch human rights defender in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir was arrested yesterday night in his family’s residence in Srinagar. Parvez’s relatives said that the police simply went to his home, with no warrant, nor stating the reasons for his arrest, and asked him to accompany them to the police station. Earlier that night, Parvez had received a call from the Kothibagh Police station and had been asked to “visit” the station as they wanted to talk to him.

Open letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

MR. ZEID RAÁD AL HUSSEIN
United Nations High Commissioner for Human RightsObj: AFAD Chairperson, Khurram Parvez, prevented from attending UN Human Rights

Council Session by IndiaDear Mr. Al Hussein, Greetings from the Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD)!

STOP HARASSMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN KASHMIR!

Manila, 15 September 2016 - AFAD strongly condemns the measures taken by India against AFAD’s Chairperson, Mr. Khurram Parvez.
 
Mr. Parvez is a Kashmiri human rights defender, who is also the Program Coordinator of Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS). Yesterday, on September 14, 2016, he was prevented from leaving the Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi, and travel to Geneva, Switzerland, where he was going to attend the 33 Session of the UN Human Rights Council.