Kashmiri activist Khurram Parvez and journalist Irfan Mehraj granted bail and released from custody.
The recent release of Khurram Parvez and Irfan Mehraj, two prominent figures advocating for human rights in Kashmir, highlights a critical moment for civil society amid ongoing tensions in the region. While their freedom is a positive step, it underscores the broader challenges activists face, including systemic restrictions and political pressures that continue to impact the rights and freedoms of individuals in Kashmir.
Indian authorities have released prominent Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez and journalist Irfan Mehraj on bail after several years of imprisonment on charges of “terrorism” financing. Their release, however, comes with significant restrictions imposed by the court, as the National Investigation Agency seeks to overturn the bail decision.
The two men were released from a New Delhi jail late Wednesday, as confirmed by family members, amidst an escalating crackdown on activists, journalists, and dissidents in Kashmir, particularly since India revoked the region’s autonomy in 2019. This initiative has raised concerns regarding civil liberties and the treatment of dissent in Kashmir, a historically sensitive region.
Khurram Parvez, the program coordinator for the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), was arrested in 2021, while Irfan Mehraj, a freelance journalist who investigated rights issues, was taken into custody in 2023. Both individuals face serious allegations related to “funding terrorism” and promoting a separatist agenda under India’s stringent anti-terrorism laws, which permit prolonged detention without trial.
The National Investigation Agency contends that the JKCCS has been utilized to finance militant activities and endorse a separatist agenda; however, both men firmly deny these allegations. A lower court had previously granted them bail, but the agency contested this decision. On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court opted not to suspend their release order, yet it has enforced stricter movement and activity controls while it continues to assess the appeal.
As part of their bail agreement, Parvez and Mehraj must secure their own accommodations in the capital and are prohibited from traveling back to Kashmir. These conditions reflect ongoing legal proceedings set to unfold in the coming weeks.
For decades, the JKCCS has documented alleged human rights violations perpetrated by Indian government forces in Kashmir, including incidents of torture, unlawful killings, and the existence of unmarked graves believed to hold victims of enforced disappearances. The organization’s work has attracted the attention of international rights groups, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which has consistently advocated for the release of the two men, asserting that their detentions were reactionary measures against their advocacy efforts.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has characterized Parvez’s arrest as retaliation for his human rights activism, aimed at silencing dissent in Kashmir. Following their release, organizations such as the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights and the World Organisation Against Torture have condemned the charges as fabricated and called upon Indian authorities to drop the case, deeming the legal actions politically motivated.
Since the 2019 revocation of Kashmir’s partial autonomy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, journalists in the region have experienced increased harassment and detentions. Government figures indicate that from 2019 to 2023, more than 3,600 individuals were arrested under anti-terrorism laws in Kashmir, with over half of them still in custody.
The Kashmir conflict, a complex territorial dispute between India and Pakistan that has persisted since their independence from British rule in 1947, has resulted in significant loss of life, with tens of thousands—predominantly civilians—affected. The region remains a focal point for political unrest, emphasizing the ongoing struggle for human rights and autonomy within a contested landscape.
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