15 Jul. 24: The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) has strongly condemned the recent arrests of two former presidents of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Nazir Ahmad Ronga and Mian Abdul Qayoom, by local authorities, said a CASR statement.
On July 11, at approximately 1:30 AM, Jammu and Kashmir police arrested advocate Nazir Ahmad Ronga under the Public Safety Act (PSA) without presenting a warrant. The arrest was reportedly made on orders from higher authorities. This marks the second time Ronga has been detained under PSA, the first being just before the revocation of Article 370, when he and other political prisoners were sent to jails outside Jammu and Kashmir. In January 2020, the Supreme Court quashed his previous detention order along with those of 13 others. His latest arrest followed the cancellation of the Kashmir High Court Bar Association election, which was to be held after a four-year hiatus. Ronga is known for defending cases involving PSA and for opposing the abrogation of Article 370.
Senior advocate Mian Qayoom was also arrested recently by the State Investigation Agency in connection with a terrorism conspiracy case related to the murder of lawyer Babar Qadari. Qayoom, who was previously detained alongside Ronga in 2019 and released after five months, faces slim chances of release now that his case has been transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Qayoom, a diabetic surviving on a single kidney for the past 25 years, is recognized for offering pro bono legal services to the poor and detainees, with about 70% of his practice being free of charge.
The arrests of Ronga and Qayoom are seen as a warning to lawyers handling cases linked to national security and terrorism, indicating severe repercussions for those who challenge the state.
CASR has called for the immediate release of both advocates and the resumption of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association elections. The organization urges all democratic-minded individuals and bar associations to denounce these arrests.
CASR’s condemnation is supported by various groups, including AIRSO, AISA, AISF, APCR, BASF, Bhim Army, CRPP, DSU, Forum Against Repression Telangana, IAPL, NAPM, SFI, United Against Hate, and others.
