Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj arrested by NIA in UAPA case

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arrested by NIA in UAPA case</h1> <h2>The central agency said that he is associated with the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, which it alleged spreads secessionist agenda in the Valley.</h2>  <div class="article-meta-container-with-comments"> <div class="article-meta-container"> <address><a href="//scroll.in/author/8" rel="author" >Scroll Staff</a></address> <div class="article-time-container"> <time datetime="2023-03-21T14:16:00+05:30" class="article-published-time"> Mar 21, 2023 · 02:16 pm </time> <time datetime="2023-03-21T20:19:31.509295+05:30" class="article-updated-time"> Updated Mar 21, 2023 · 08:19 pm </time> </div> </div> <div class="scroll-app-upsell hideOnApp near-timestamp-scroll-app-upsell"> <div class="sa-content"> <div class="sa-head"> <span>Read in App</span> </div> <div class="sa-cta"> <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.scroll.android" class="sa-cta-button sa-cta-mini-button ga-track" data-label="Android App Upsell clicked from article 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1.198-2.442a3.775 3.775 0 0 1-2.304-3.473ZM9.526 2.756c.64-.77.956-1.758.88-2.756a3.914 3.914 0 0 0-2.533 1.31 3.66 3.66 0 0 0-.902 2.654 3.236 3.236 0 0 0 2.555-1.208Z" fill="#000" fill-rule="evenodd"></path> </svg> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div>  </header>    <figure class="featured-image"><picture class="aspect-ratio-placeholder image-width-1200-height-630"><img src="https://sc0.blr1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/article/188214-hdrthvhnxa-1679387180.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj arrested by NIA in UAPA case"> </picture> <figcaption class="featured-image-caption"> Journalist Irfan Mehraj. | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215942142778198&set=pb.1585992229.-2207520000.&type=3" target="_blank">Irfan Mehraj/ Facebook</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div id="article-contents" class="article-body"> <p>Kashmiri journalist <a class="link-external" href="https://twitter.com/NIA_India/status/1638104562879037442?s=20" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Irfan Mehraj</a> was on Monday arrested by the National Investigation Agency from Srinagar in a case registered under the Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act.</p><p>In a statement, the central agency said that Mehraj is a close associate of human rights activist <a href="https://scroll.in/latest/1011190/jammu-and-kashmir-nia-arrests-human-rights-activist-khurram-parvez-in-uapa-case">Khurram Parvez</a>, who was arrested in November 2021 under sections of the Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act which deal with terror funding.</p><p>Both Mehraj and Parvez are associated with the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, a union of non-profit campaign and advocacy organisations in Srinagar.</p><p>“Investigation revealed that the JKCCS [Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society] was funding terror activities in the Valley and had also been in propagation of secessionist agenda in the Valley under the garb of protection of human rights,” the agency alleged. “Involvement of some Valley-based NGOs [non-government organisation], trusts and societies in funding of terror-related activities is being probed in this case.”</p><p>The National Investigation Agency also alleged that some non-governmental organisations in Jammu and Kashmir have been collecting funds under the garb of charity and welfare activities but have links with militant outfits such as Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.</p><p>The agency said Mehraj is the first person to be arrested in the case registered in October 2020.</p><p>Mehraj has been <a class="link-external" href="https://twitter.com/raqib_naik/status/1638063497945706496" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">taken to Delhi</a>, according to journalist Raqib Hameed Naik.</p><p>Mehraj is the founding editor of <em>Wande Magazine</em> and now works as a senior editor at <em>TwoCircles.net</em>. He has contributed to leading news publications like <em>The Indian Express</em>, <em>Al Jazeera, Himal Southasian, DW and TRT World</em>.</p><hr class="block-break" /><p><strong><em>Also read: <a href="https://scroll.in/article/1035586/as-hindutva-has-grown-in-india-so-have-websites-reporting-on-the-plight-of-embattled-muslims">As Hindutva has grown, so have websites reporting on India’s embattled Muslims</a></em></strong></p><hr class="block-break" /><p>People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti criticised the action against him, saying journalists like Mehraj are being arrested for “speaking the truth” while conmen get a free run in Kashmir.</p><p>The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister was referring to a Gujarat resident who was impersonating an additional director for strategy and campaigns in the prime minister’s office. <a href="https://scroll.in/latest/1045782/gujarat-man-arrested-for-allegedly-posing-as-a-pmo-official-in-kashmir">Kiran Bhai Patel</a>, who was granted access to high-security zones and provided with Z-plus security, was arrested on March 3.</p><p>“Draconian laws like UAPA are abused constantly to ensure that the process itself becomes the punishment,” Mufti wrote on Tuesday.</p><figure class="cms-block cms-block-embed cms-block-embed-twitter" data-embed-type="twitter" data-embed-id="1638051448490725376" data-embed-loaded="false"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">While conmen are given a free run in Kashmir, journalists like Irfan Mehraj are arrested for doing their duty by speaking the truth. Draconian laws like UAPA are abused constantly to ensure that the process itself becomes the punishment. <a href="https://t.co/j5mwDgQ9la">https://t.co/j5mwDgQ9la</a></p>— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) <a href="https://twitter.com/MehboobaMufti/status/1638051448490725376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></blockquote> </figure><p>UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor expressed her concern on Mehraj’s arrest and called for his immediate release.</p><figure class="cms-block cms-block-embed cms-block-embed-twitter" data-embed-type="twitter" data-embed-id="1638162876518084610" data-embed-loaded="false"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I'm deeply concerned about Kashmiri HRD and journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/IrfanMeraj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IrfanMeraj</a>. He was called to come to the <a href="https://twitter.com/NIA_India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NIA_India</a> office in Srinagar and arrested in a 2020 case, accused of serious offences. I call for his immediate release.<a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaUNGeneva?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaUNGeneva</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/India_NHRC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@India_NHRC</a></p>— Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur HRDs (@MaryLawlorhrds) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryLawlorhrds/status/1638162876518084610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></blockquote> </figure><p>The Press Club of India described the arrest as a misused of the draconian UAPA law, adding that it “ominously points towards a violation of freedom of speech and expression”.</p><figure class="cms-block cms-block-embed cms-block-embed-twitter" data-embed-type="twitter" data-embed-id="1638156217884332033" data-embed-loaded="false"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We vehemently oppose the imposing of UAPA on mediapersons. The misuse of this draconian law by NIA in randomly arresting Irfan Mehraj, a journalist from Kashmir ominously points towards a violation of freedom of speech and expression. We demand his immediate release <a href="https://t.co/Vy2XEVQWEO">pic.twitter.com/Vy2XEVQWEO</a></p>— Press Club of India (@PCITweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/PCITweets/status/1638156217884332033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></blockquote> </figure><p>Amnesty International India Chair Aakar Patel said in a statement that the arrest was a travesty and demanded that Mehraj be immediately released.</p><p>“Indian authorities should prioritize ending impunity for the human rights violations that human rights defenders and journalists have bravely documented and exposed, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, and ensure that human rights defenders and activists can work in a safe and enabling environment without any fear of reprisals,” Patel said</p><p> Journalist Federation of Kashmir, a press body based in the Valley, issued a statement saying that the arrest was an attempt to intimidate journalists in Kashmir “who have always worked under perilous conditions, holding up values of press freedom in the face of dangers to life and liberty”. </p><figure class="cms-block cms-block-embed cms-block-embed-twitter" data-embed-type="twitter" data-embed-id="1638117755487686657" data-embed-loaded="false"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mehraj is a hardworking journalist whose work has appeared in several local, national and international platforms. He regularly contributed to the international broadcasters Deutsche Welle (DW). Al Jazeera and TRT.<br>2/8</p>— Journalist Federation of Kashmir (@pressfreedomJFK) <a href="https://twitter.com/pressfreedomJFK/status/1638117755487686657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></blockquote> </figure> </div> <div class="scroll-app-upsell hideOnApp below-article-scroll-app-upsell"> <div class="sa-content"> <div class="sa-head"> <img src="https://scroll.in/static/assets/scroll-square-logo.9e100dd6eb50cbf476dd78e0586bb366.003.svg" width="20" height="20" alt="Get the app"> <span>Get the app</span> </div> <div class="sa-cta"> <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.scroll.android" class="sa-cta-button sa-cta-mini-button ga-track" data-label="Android App Upsell clicked from below article"> <span>ANDROID</span> <svg width="15.063" height="16.953" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <path d="m8.826 8.778 2.221 2.21L.737 16.92a.504.504 0 0 1-.071.033l8.16-8.175ZM.06.058 8.343 8.3.02 16.637A.496.496 0 0 1 0 16.494V.294C0 .213.02.132.06.06Zm11.464 6.017 3.29 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Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj arrested by NIA in UAPA case