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February 09, 2026 – Kashmir –
International and regional human rights organisations have appealed to the United Nations to intervene in the ongoing detention of Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj, calling his imprisonment arbitrary and a violation of press freedom and human rights. Mehraj, a reporter based in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, has been held by authorities under security legislation that rights advocates say is being used to silence critical voices and restrict independent reporting.
Mehraj, who has contributed to several news outlets covering political developments and civil liberties issues in the disputed region, was first arrested in April 2024 under India’s stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Under this law, authorities can detain individuals for extended periods without formal charges as part of anti-terrorism and national security efforts. Advocates for Mehraj have maintained that his journalistic work, including reporting on alleged abuses and unrest, prompted the arrest and subsequent legal action against him.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and several regional civil liberties organisations, submitted communications to UN special rapporteurs and treaty bodies, urging a review of Mehraj’s detention and the circumstances that have kept him in prison. The organisations asserted that his continued detention without a timely and transparent judicial review constitutes a breach of international human rights standards on freedom of expression and due process. They further argued that the use of anti-terror legislation against a practicing journalist sets a troubling precedent that can chill free reporting in Kashmir and beyond.
In submissions to the UN, rights advocates stressed that Mehraj has not been convicted of terrorism-related offences and has been denied access to fair trial guarantees, including timely bail hearings and full disclosure of evidence used against him. The groups are pressing the UN to issue urgent appeals to the Indian government and to engage relevant human rights mechanisms to seek Mehraj’s release or ensure that any legal proceedings meet international due process standards.
The case has drawn attention from press freedom campaigners and civil society networks that monitor restrictions on media in contested or high-security regions. They argue that Mehraj’s continued detention without clear charges and judicial oversight exemplifies a broader pattern of curtailment of independent journalism in Jammu and Kashmir, where security laws are often deployed with broad discretion. Critics believe the situation raises significant concerns about the protection of journalists who report on contested political and human rights issues.
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