Kashmiri activist Khurram Parvez and journalist Irfan Mehraj freed on bail

Two prominent figures in Kashmir's civil society have been released from detention in New Delhi, marking a development in a prolonged legal dispute with Indian authorities. Khurram Parvez, a human rights coordinator, and Irfan Mehraj, a freelance journalist, walked free from custody late Wednesday following bail decisions by lower courts. Both men had been held for years on charges related to alleged terrorism financing and promotion of separatist ideology under India's stringent counterterrorism legislation.

Parvez was arrested in 2021 at his residence in Srinagar, while Mehraj was detained in 2023. Both worked with the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, an organization that has documented alleged human rights violations by Indian security forces for decades, including claims of torture, unlawful killings, and enforced disappearances. The National Investigation Agency accused them of using the organization to fund militant-linked activities and advance a separatist agenda—allegations both men deny.

Their release came after lower courts granted bail, though the National Investigation Agency immediately appealed the decision. The Delhi High Court declined to suspend the release order but imposed additional restrictions on the men's movements and activities while hearing the appeal. Under their bail conditions, both must remain in the capital where their trial is proceeding and are prohibited from traveling to Kashmir. Court documents indicate they must arrange their own accommodation in New Delhi.

International human rights organizations have consistently advocated for their release, characterizing their detention as retaliation for legitimate advocacy work. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention previously described Parvez's arrest as an act of reprisal targeting his human rights activities. Following their release, organizations including the International Federation for Human Rights and the World Organisation Against Torture characterized the charges as politically motivated and called for case dismissal.

The detention of these two men reflects broader concerns raised by journalists and rights advocates regarding restrictions on freedom of expression and association in Indian-administered Kashmir since 2019, when the region's constitutional autonomy was revoked.