Yet Another Birthday in Prison: In Solidarity with Khurram Parvez

Khurram Parvez, a prominent Kashmiri human rights defender, is the founder of the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS). He has played a crucial role in documenting and exposing human rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir. Despite being internationally recognized for his work, including being a laureate of the 2023 Martin Ennals Award, Khurram has faced significant personal costs, including arrests in 2016 and 2021. He has been in pre-trial detention for over two years, accused of terrorism-related charges in reprisals for his human rights advocacy.
Khurram’s ongoing detention highlights the severe restrictions on civil liberties in Kashmir and reflects the broader strategy to suppress dissent and visibility of human rights violations in the region. This webinar, organised by FORUM-ASIA, The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), Martin Ennals Awards, CIVICUS, Front Line Defenders, The Observatory, OMCT, FIDH and Kashmir Law and Justice Project aims to raise awareness about his arbitrary and prolonged detention, highlight his contributions to the human rights movement, and rally support for his immediate and unconditional release.

[@kaiumhrd]

I am Md. Abdul Kaium, writing from Bangladesh. It deeply saddens me to know that while other children go to school with new bags on their shoulders, Khurram Parvez's children are waiting for their father to return. Khurram is being punished for his unwavering commitment to human rights. His prolonged and arbitrary detention is not only a violation of his rights but also a grave injustice to his family. It is reprehensible that someone who has dedicated his life to documenting and exposing human rights violations is subjected to such harsh reprisals. We must rally together to demand his immediate and unconditional release.