/ / PAKISTAN: KASHMIRI POET AND JOURNALIST DETAINED

PAKISTAN: KASHMIRI POET AND JOURNALIST DETAINED

UA: Third 46.24

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Ahmad Farhad, a Kashmiri poet and journalist, has been under administrative detention since June 20 in Bagh, Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir. His arbitrary detention under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance comes as part of a massive crackdown on the right to peaceful assembly in the region. Concerningly, the authorities are pressuring Ahmad Farhad to record statements denouncing protests taking place in the region. He is currently on a hunger strike to protest his unlawful detention.

Calls on the Pakistani authorities to immediately release Ahmad and refrain from coercive tactics which curtail his right to freedom of expression.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: February 20, 2027

Here is how you can take action:

Send a letter to the Pakistani authorities
Send an email to Pakistani authorities
Post on social media

Scroll down to Step 1 and Step 2 to access the full Urgent Action appeal and sample letter, and U.S.P.S. mailing address (if available).

Take action

Step 1

READ THE FULL URGENT ACTION

Enter your email address and zip code to get the sample letter to send to government officials.

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You can now write a letter in your own words or download the sample below as a guide.

Remember to send your letter by February 20, 2027.

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Sample Letter

Dear Deputy Commissioner,

I am concerned about the arrest and administrative detention of Ahmad Farhad, a Kashmiri poet and journalist who is known for his support for social movements. He has been detained at a police station in Bagh, Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir, since June 20. His detention was ordered by the District Commissioner of Bagh under section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance which allows for detention of individuals accused of speech undermining public safety, but no specific allegations have been made against him.

In detention, Ahmad Farhad is being pressured to record a video denouncing protests in the region and condemning the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a grassroots civil rights movement, as a terrorist organization, as a condition for his release. In protest, on July 27, Ahmad Farhad went on hunger strike until August 10, when he was persuaded by the authorities to end his hunger strike with the promise of release. However, he was not released, and he resumed his hunger strike on August 11. On August 22, he was transferred to a hospital and put on intravenous fluids after his health deteriorated significantly.

Ahmad Farhad’s detention is arbitrary and appears to be solely an attempt to silence his right to freedom of expression and impede his reporting on the ongoing human rights violations in the region.

I urge you to immediately and unconditionally release Ahmad Farhad from arbitrary administrative detention. I urge you to ensure that Ahmad Farhad is protected from torture, other ill-treatment, and coercion during his detention.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

Step 2

Send your message

Mail your letter to the government officials listed below. You can also email, fax, call, or post about them on social media.

Send your letter to:

Asim Khalid Awan

Deputy Commissioner

Office District Complex, Bagh

Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, 12500

Phone: +92-5823-920046

deputycommissioner.bagh

and

CC: Pakistani Embassy in the United States

Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh

Send a copy of your letter to the address below

3517 International Court, NW,

Washington DC 20008

[email protected]

When writing your letter, don’t forget to be factual, brief, and show respect. See more letter writing tips and emails, or organize and host a letter writing party.

Other Urgent Actions for this Case

First UA Issued: [Pakistan 46.24]
Second UA Issued: [Pakistan 46.24]

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