Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez was released from Kotbalwal jail in Jammu on Wednesday, 76 days after he was detained under the Public Safety Act from his Srinagar house. He is scheduled to reach Srinagar on Thursday, reported the Hindustan Times.
“He is in good health and spirits. He expresses his overwhelming gratitude to the local and international solidarity campaign for his release,” the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society said in a statement. Parvez is the programme coordinator of Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society and the chairperson of Asian Federation Against involuntary Disappearances.
Parvez also took to social media to announce his release. He said that his detention period has made him “reflect, read and plan my future work for justice and peace”. The human rights activist added, “I won’t let this difficulty make me bitter, instead my resolve for peace and justice has got strengthened. I want all of you to be hopeful.”
Parvez’s release comes five days after the Jammu and Kashmir High Court had declared his detention illegal and said that the “detaining authority had abused its powers”. On November 25, the court had ordered the state government to release Parvez, but he had to spend few more days in jail owing to a “minor clerical error”. The date of detention in the Public Safety Act warrant was incorrectly mentioned as September 19, instead of September 21.
Parvez was detained under the Jammu and Kashmir’s Public Safety Act on September 15, a day after he was barred from boarding a flight to Geneva from Delhi Airport for a United Nations meeting. On September 21, he was taken into preventive custody for the second time.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!