A rights activist from Kashmir on Wednesday claimed he was disallowed from boarding a flight to Geneva from Delhi airport on the orders of the Intelligence Bureau. Khurram Pervez, a programme coordinator for the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, said he was stopped by airport authorities and detained for more than an hour even though he had a valid visa and other necessary documents. He was scheduled to attend the United Nations Human Rights Commission session that is currently being held at the organisation's Switzerland headquarters.
Pervez, who is also the Chairperson of Asian Federation Against involuntary Disappearances, said an immigration officer stamped his boarding pass, but he was later told he cannot travel to Geneva based on "orders from the Intelligence Bureau". Two others travelling with him – lawyers Parvez Imroz and Kartik Murukutla – were allowed to board.
The civil society group said in a statement that Pervez was "orally informed that immigration officers had instructions that he was not to be ‘arrested’, but that he should not be allowed to leave the country". It added, "…Parvez is not being allowed to travel because he has been highlighting violations of human rights."
The group said they had planned to bring to the UN’s notice human rights violations that have taken place over the past two months in the state. More than 80 people have died in Kashmir since July 8, as protests broke out after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed.
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