Human Rights

Targeted for its work in bringing out human rights abuses in Kashmir, says APDP after NIA raids office, founder’s residence

Representative Photo.

Documents seized by NIA contain sensitive information about victims, testimonies

Grave apprehension that it may lead to reprisal against victims who have testified 

Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted raids at several locations in Srinagar, including the offices of Greater Kashmir, human rights watcher J-K Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP).

The raid at the Srinagar office of APDP lasted for nearly seven hours.

The agency also carried out raids on the residences of a journalist working with an international publication, Parvaiz Bukhari, and the co-ordinator of JKCCS, Khurram Parvez.

The APDP has for years provided support to families of disappeared persons in Kashmir, collects their testimonies, raises awareness about the issue, and engages in advocacy work.

As per the NIA, “on receipt of credible information that certain NGOs and Trusts are collecting funds domestically and abroad through so-called donations and business contributions etc. and are then utilising these funds for secessionist and militant activities in J&K”.

In a statement, APDP founder Praveena Ahangar has strongly denied any such associations, and said the group has been targeted in the past too for its work bringing out human rights abuses in Kashmir.

The documents the NIA has seized, APDP said in the statement, contain sensitive information about victims and their families, and their testimonies.

“There is a grave apprehension that the same may be accessed by other agencies, and/or lead to adverse consequences and reprisal against victims and families who have testified and are pursuing justice,” the statement notes.

The APDP statement has also laid out its sources of funding, and said that it does not receive any foreign funds.

 

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