SRINAGAR: Kashmiri journalist Irfan Meraj has completed over 1,000 days in Indian jail, prompting renewed calls from the Journalist Federation of Kashmir (JFK) for his immediate release.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the JFK in a statement in Srinagar said Meraj’s prolonged incarceration shows how the “process itself has become punishment” and reflects the erosion of press freedom in Jammu and Kashmir.
The federation described his detention as not only a personal tragedy but also a serious warning for independent journalism in the territory. “Journalism is not a crime,” it added, emphasizing that reporting on human rights and social issues must not be treated as criminal activity.
Meraj, a Srinagar-based journalist, is the founding editor of Wande Magazine and has worked with TwoCircles.net. He has contributed to several local and international publications, including Rising Kashmir, Himal, and Deutsche Welle. In 2024, he received the Human Rights and Religious Freedom Journalism Award for his reporting on the heroin crisis in Kashmir.
He was arrested on March 20, 2023, and is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The JFK said the use of black laws against journalists raises serious concerns about due process and media freedom.
The federation added that Meraj’s continued imprisonment has had severe consequences for his family and sends a chilling message to journalists across the territory. It urged political parties, civil society groups, and press freedom organizations to speak out for his release.
The JFK also expressed concern over a broader pattern of harassment of journalists in Kashmir, including raids, summons, and the seizure of electronic devices, warning that such actions undermine democratic values and the public’s right to know.
