PARVEZ IMROZ, a lawyer of Kashmir and one of the winners of Human Rights has been awarded "Prix International des droits de l'homme Ludovic-Trarieux 2006" by the IDHBB, France. He was selected for this prestigious award on Friday June 2nd 2006.

To receive this Human Rights International Award, pre-condition is that the prize winner must attend the award ceremony going to be held at  Bordeaux in the National School of the Magistra on Friday October 13th 2006 at 17.30 p.m.

Parvez Imroz passport is lying with the Government of India for its renewal since 2004. Thereafter passport authorities have neither formally denied him the passport nor given reasons for its non - issuance.

Manitham urging, the high authorities in the Government of India, should immediately interfere in this matter and should take steps to renew the passport of Parvez Imroz. This will be one of the ways to prove the Government of India's credibility on Kashmir issue and on its citizens. Failing by the government, will raise doubts on the citizens right given by the Indian constitution. [THE END]

http://www.ludovictrarieux.org/uk-page3.callplt2006.htm
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MANITHAM on Kashmir :

- " Security Forces coercion the voter in Kashmir" - Ground Reality by MANITHAM [ Read also in Tamil]
- "Fond of bridal wear, you would have abhorred shroud" - MANITHAM represented by its Executive Director, Mr. Subramanian.G, in the Independent Election Monitoring in which Ms. Aasia Jeelani, who was died in a Land Mine, at Kashmir during 1st day i.e.. on 20-04-2004.

Global groups condemn 'attack' on Pervez Imroz - Arundhati Roy, others demand independent probe

[KASHMIR WATCH - Daily English Newspaper from Kashmir]
http://www.kashmirwatch.com/05may05.htm

Srinagar, May 4: Several prominent personalities and international organisations have strongly condemned the alleged harassment by government agencies to human rights defender and president Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), Pervez Imroz.

In their separate statements to Union Home Minister, Chief Minister and NHRC the groups have demanded stern action against the government gunman who allegedly tried to eliminate Imroz in his house last week.

The Booker prizewinner, Arundhati Roy, in her letter to CM Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, said: "It is with the deepest concern that we draw your attention to the rising sense of insecurity amongst civil rights activists in Kashmir... This (Imroz's allegation) is a serious charge at a time when the eyes of the whole world are turned upon Kashmir, and when the attempts by your government to reclaim the trust of the people are under intense scrutiny. It also comes in a context where the overzealous search for 'over-ground' sympathizers has led to increased threat to human rights activists as well."

Besides Roy, the letter signed by Prashant Bhusan, Rahul Roy, Saba Dewan, Sanjay Kak, Shohini Ghosh, Shuddhabrata Sengupta and Vrinder Grower, said "we believe that the best Confidence Building Measures would be the end of all forms of human rights violations in Kashmir and an end to the intimidation of human rights defenders. We hope your government will do its utmost to ensure that Mir Parvez Imroz, and indeed all civil rights activists in Kashmir, are able to work without fear of retaliation from vested interests. We are particularly referring here to the work of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), a constituent of the JKCCS."

They also urgent the government to institute an independent enquiry into the matter.

In its letter to Home Minister Shivraj Patil, a copy of which was faxed to Greater Kashmir, Philippines-based Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) said "knowing the volatile situation in Kashmir, the AFAD is alarmed by this incident."

"It was not only an infringement of the privacy of Mr Imroz's family, but an obvious form of harassment of a human rights defender and a serious threat to his life," the AFAD Secretary-General, Mary Aileen D Bacalso, has said in the letter.

The AFAD called on the Indian Government to fully ensure the security to the life of Pervez Imroz and other human rights defenders in Kashmir.

The Hague (Netherlands) based NGO, IKV has said it was deeply worried about the safety of Pervez Imroz.

"Imroz is internationally well known and well respected and the fact that he is personally threatened is a major concern for us and various other European NOGs who support Imroz and the Kashmir activists in their non-violent struggle for sustainable peace, justice and democracy," the IKV Director, Jan Van Monfort, said.

"The IKV politely but urgently requests your excellency to inform us about the facts in regard of the threats and harassment against Mr Imroz. What is your opinion about the details of the threats, has an impartial enquiry been implemented?" the IKV said in its letters to Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and Director General of Kashmir Police Gopal Sharma.

Many others groups like Amnesty International (French chapter), Lawyers Without Borders (Netherlands), Manila-based FIND, Chennai-based Manitham, etc, too have expressed their strong concern over the alleged threats to Pervez Imroz.(Greater Kashmir) [THE END]