Arrests – Journalists

Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Srinagar on Monday for allegedly propagating a secessionist agenda under the garb of protecting human rights. Separately, the agency also charge-sheeted an alleged militant associate.

Mr. Mehraj worked for the online portal TwoCircles.net, which focusses on news about marginalised communities, and also edited Wande Magazine, an online magazine of longform writing. The NIA said that his arrest followed a comprehensive investigation into a non-governmental organization’s (NGO) terror funding case, which was registered in October 2020.

“Mr. Mehraj was a close associate of Khurram Parvez and was working with his organization, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS). Investigation revealed that the JKCCS was funding terror activities in the Valley and had also been in propagation of a secessionist agenda in the Valley under the garb of protection of human rights,” the NIA said.