‘Told to Come to Office for 5 Minutes,’ Srinagar Journalist Irfan Mehraj Arrested by NIA

Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency has actually apprehended a Srinagar-based independent reporter in connection with a continuous probe into Kashmir-based non-profits that are dealing with allegations of sponsoring activities “prejudicial to the unity, stability, sovereignty and security of India.” Irfan Mehraj, a local of Mehjoor Nagar in Srinagar, was asked by a group of the main anti-terror firm to appear at its Church Lane workplace on Monday night, March 20 when he was out on an expert task, his daddy, Mehraj-ud-Din Bhat, stated. “He was on a story when the private investigators called him on his cellphone. They informed him to come over to their workplace [for questioning] for 5 minutes. Later on, we was familiar with that he had actually been apprehended and was going to be moved to Delhi on Tuesday. My kid and bro have actually gone there looking for legal support,” Bhat, who is a Kashmir arts trader, informed The Wire. “My kid is innocent. His work promotes him loudly. I have complete faith that reality will dominate and he will get justice,” Bhat included. The arrest set off condemnation and outrage from rights activists and press bodies. Revealing issue, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, required his “instant release”, a need which was likewise made by Amnesty International. I’m deeply worried about Kashmiri HRD and reporter @IrfanMeraj. He was contacted us to concern the @NIA_India workplace in Srinagar and detained in a 2020 case, implicated of severe offenses. I require his instant release.@IndiaUNGeneva @India_NHRC– Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur HRDs (@MaryLawlorhrds) March 21, 2023 The Press Club of India stated it opposes the “enforcing of UAPA on mediapersons” and the “abuse of this oppressive law by NIA in arbitrarily detaining Irfan Mehraj”, stating that Mehraj’s arrest “ominously points towards an infraction of liberty of speech and expression.” According to reports, Irfan, an editor at TCN Live who likewise adds to The Caravan publication, Article 14 and Al Jazeera to name a few nationwide and global media outlets, has actually been apprehended in connection with FIR No RC-37/ 2020/NIA/DLI submitted by the company on October 8, 2020 at NIA Police Station, New Delhi. NIA makes very first arrest in NGO Terror Funding Case pic.twitter.com/sjPGmxDyNd– NIA India (@NIA_India) March 21, 2023 NIA has actually declared Mehraj is its very first arrest in the ‘NGO-terror financing case’. Incarcerated Kashmir human rights activist Khurram Parvez is likewise an implicated in the very same case. The case has actually been submitted under areas 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 124-A (prompting disaffection towards federal government through words, indications, etc. of Indian Penal Code and 17 (fund raising for horror activities), 18 (conspiracy to devote fear act), 22A & 22C (associating with offenses devoted by signed up business), 38 (offense associating with subscription of a terrorist organisation), 39 (supporting terrorist organisation) and 40 (raising funds for terrorist organisation) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. According to a note on the NIA site, the case (FIR No RC-37/ 2020), in which Irfan was apparently apprehended, was submitted to penetrate the “cash transfer t
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