Islamabad/Srinagar — It has been four years since prominent Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez was arrested by Indian authorities, a case that continues to draw sharp criticism from the United Nations, global rights groups, and European institutions, all urging New Delhi to release him immediately and unconditionally.
Parvez, a well-known figure in international human rights circles, has spent the past 48 months in detention under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a law rights groups describe as India’s “weapon to silence dissent.”
He was arrested in November 2021 after raids on his home and offices, during which documents, research material, and electronic records were seized. India accused him of “terror financing”, charges for which no public evidence has been produced to date.
A Global Outcry
UN human rights experts, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and European parliamentary groups have repeatedly condemned the case, stating that Parvez is being punished for peaceful human rights work.
In Geneva, human rights missions have continued raising the case with Indian representatives, calling it a test of India’s commitment to international legal standards.
A Voice the State Wanted Silenced
Parvez, associated with the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances, is known for documenting enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture, and cases of state violence in Kashmir.
His dossiers, published over two decades, have been cited in international hearings, UN briefings, and global human rights forums, work observers say made him a target for state retaliation.
No Progress, No Trial
Despite four years in custody, the case against him has made little headway. Legal experts describe the prolonged detention as “punitive rather than investigative,” calling it an attempt to create a chilling effect in Kashmir’s civil society.
Since Parvez’s arrest, several Kashmiri journalists, researchers, and activists have faced investigations, intimidation, and arrests, part of what analysts describe as a wider clampdown on free expression in the region.
A Symbol of Kashmir’s Human Rights Crisis
For many, 22 November marks more than an anniversary of one man’s imprisonment, it reflects broader anxieties about shrinking civic space in Kashmir.
Rights groups argue that releasing Parvez would be a crucial step toward restoring public trust, demonstrating rule of law, and signalling a shift away from coercive tactics.
The international community continues to urge India to uphold its obligations under human rights treaties, ensure transparency in legal processes, and bring Parvez’s prolonged detention to an end.
