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December 20, 2025 – Kashmir –
Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj has completed 1,000 days in jail, prompting renewed appeals from press freedom organisations and civil society for his immediate and unconditional release. Mehraj, a reporter with Kashmir Mirror, was arrested in 2022 by Indian authorities in the context of a broader security operation in Indian-administered Kashmir. His prolonged detention has drawn sustained criticism from media bodies, human rights advocates, and rights defenders who describe his continued incarceration as arbitrary and harmful to press freedom.
According to statements from the Journalists Federation of Kashmir (JFK) and allied press bodies, Mehraj has spent more than two and a half years in various detention facilities without conviction. Although Indian authorities have cited allegations of involvement in “unlawful activities” linked to Kashmir’s pro-freedom movement, media advocates argue that he has not been formally charged with any offence directly tied to violent crime and that his journalistic activities have been legal and peaceful. Press organisations maintain that his detention exemplifies a pattern of extended pre-trial incarceration used against journalists and activists in the region.
JFK’s most recent appeal coincides with the 1,000-day anniversary of Mehraj’s detention. The federation emphasised that extended imprisonment without conviction undermines both legal norms and basic human rights protections. In its statement, the JFK called on Indian judicial authorities to either release Mehraj immediately or bring him to trial with full transparency and in accordance with the rule of law. The group also stressed the emotional and financial toll that prolonged detention has had on Mehraj’s family, who have repeatedly campaigned for due process and the right to know his legal status.
Human rights observers have highlighted that Mehraj’s case is among several high-profile detentions in Kashmir where individuals have spent extended periods in custody without conviction, prompting criticism of India’s use of broad security legislation and preventive detention provisions. Rights advocates argue that such measures — particularly when applied to journalists engaged in reporting on political developments — risk chilling independent media voices and eroding public confidence in legal protections for press freedom.
Press freedom organisations have reiterated their call for Mehraj’s release, framing his prolonged detention as inconsistent with international standards on freedom of expression and due process. They have also urged Indian authorities to ensure that journalists can perform their professional duties without fear of arbitrary arrest or prolonged incarceration. References
Muslim Mirror, Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj completes 1,000 days in jail; JFK seeks immediate release, December 2025; Millat Times, Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj completes 1000 days in jail; press body renews release call, December 2025; Clarion India, Journalist Irfan Mehraj completes 1000 days in jail; JFK seeks urgent release, December 2025.
Reference –
Journalist Irfan Mehraj Completes 1,000 Days in Jail; JFK Seeks Urgent Release
