Monitoring Desk: After journalists, lawyers are under attack in Indian-Occupied Kashmir. On 11 July 2024, Jammu Kashmir police arrested advocate Nazir Ahmed Ronga in the middle of the night under the Public Safety Act (PSA), without showing any warrant and told Nazir that he was being arrested because of an ‘order from the above’. The reason behind this crackdown is very clear; the Indian state is choking all voices in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir who are speaking against the state repression, especially who demand self-determination for Kashmir under UN resolutions.
This is not the first time Nazir Ronga was arrested under PSA; a day before article 370 was revoked by the fascist Indian state, he was sent outside Jammu Kashmir jails along with many political prisoners. In January 2020, the Supreme Court quashed the detention order under PSA of Nazir Ahmed and 13 others who were arrested under the same sections. This arrest came after 10 days Kashmir High Court Bar Association election was canceled by the administration. This election was planned to be held after 4 years. Nazir Ahmed fought various cases of PSA slapped by the Indian state against dissenters and raised his voice against the abrogation of Article 37.
The arrest of Nazir Ronga did not happen in isolation before this, The State Investigation Agency also arrested senior advocate Mian Qayoom in a terrorism conspiracy case regarding the murder of lawyer Babar Qadari, and the next day High Court Bar Association election was banned citing an unspecified apprehension of “breach of peace”. Mian was also arrested along with Nazir Ahmed in 2019 but was released after 5 months. Mian’s arrest happened after the case was handed over to the NIA so there is not much possibility that he can come out of jail any time soon. Mian also has serious health problems. He is a diabetic Surviving on one Kidney for the last 25 years ”. Mian nephew said that “He would often fight cases of poor and detainees without charging them any fee. About 70% of his legal practice was free of cost.
The crackdown on two former presidents of the Jammu Kashmir High Court Bar Association is giving a clear message to all lawyers who take up cases regarding ‘national security’ and terrorism, if they do so, they will face serious consequences.
Campaign Against State Repression strongly condemns the arrest of advocates Nazir Ronga and Mian Qayoom and also crackdown on the Jammu Kashmir High Court Bar Association and demands the immediate release of both advocates.
We also demand the holding of the bar council elections. We urge all democratic-minded people and Bar Associations to come and condemn these arrests.
Campaign Against State Repression platform of several civil rights organisations including AIRSO, AISA, AISF, APCR, BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, BSCEM, CEM, CRPP, CTF, DISSC, DSU, DTF, Forum Against Repression Telangana, Fraternity, IAPL, Innocence Network, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA, Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, NAPM, Nishant Natya Manch, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad,Samajwadi lok manch, Bahujan Samajvadi Manch, SFI, United Against Hate, United Peace Alliance, WSS,Y4S.
