India: Jammu and Kashmir NGO head arrested
Event- Country
- India
- Initial Date
- Jan 14, 2022
- Event Description
Two months after the arrest of activist Khurram Parvez and ten days after the arrest of journalist Sajad Gul, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have now arrested human rights activist Ahsan Untoo.
Untoo – the chairman of the International Forum for Justice and Human Rights Jammu and Kashmir – was arrested on Friday, 14 January, for allegedly spreading a secessionist agenda and inciting disaffection against India.
The J&K Police issued a statement to the media on Friday regarding his arrest, claiming he has been part of secessionist discussions on Twitter Spaces (audio discussion rooms):
“It was reliably learnt that Mohammad Ahsan Untoo, resident of Diver (Lolab) Kupwara, a proactive secessionist, is an active participant and speaker at Twitter spaces titled 'Radio Resistance Kashmir' led by two known secessionists namely Muzzammil Ayyub Thakur and Dr Asif Dar. These known secessionists, who are accused in several cases along with Ahsan Untoo, are actively spreading hatred against the Union of India on the social media platform.”
A police spokesperson claimed that Untoo's actions threaten the peaceful atmosphere of the Union Territory and spread "disaffection, ill-will and disharmony" against the Union of India. The police claims that he is inciting youth to resort to violence and indulge in unlawful activities.
They have not yet publicly announced the charges against Untoo, only saying that these activities amount to cognisable offences.
Sajad Gul, a young journalist with The Kashmir Walla, was arrested on 5 January, for posting a video of the protests following the killing of militant Saleem Parray, which included slogans by the militant's family calling for 'Azadi'.
Well-known rights activist Khurram Parvez, the coordinator of the J&K Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), was arrested by the NIA on 22 November 2021 on terror charges under the UAPA.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression
- Online
- Right to liberty and security
- Freedom of expression
- HRD
- Community-based HRD
- NGO staff
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 34.52608796802852
Longitude: 74.25626830577681
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 14 January 2022, Ashan Untoo, head of the rights NGO International Forum for Justice and Human Rights Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested by the police over alleged secessionist charges over his social media activity in Kupwara, Kashmir, India.