India – CASR Strongly Condemns Repression on Youth Protesters in Kashmir
We hereby share a press statement issued by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR).
PRESS STATEMENT
Date – 27 April, 2026
Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) Strongly Condemns the Use of Draconian Public Safety Act( PSA) Against Six Youth Protesters in Sopore (Kashmir)
The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) strongly condemns the booking of at least six youth Umar Akbar Hajam, Salman Ahmed Shala, Altaf Ahmed Sheikh, Mubashir Ahmed Gilkar, Muzammil Mushtaq Changa, and Majid Firdous Dar under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) in Sopore, Jammu and Kashmir, following protests over the alleged harassment of a girl student in a government higher secondary school.
Reports indicate that student protests erupted after serious allegations of harassment by a teacher on April 13. Although the accused teacher was removed and an FIR was registered, no arrest has been made so far. Instead of ensuring justice and accountability in the case, the administration has chosen to crack down on protesters. Six persons from Sopore have now been detained under the PSA—a law that allows for prolonged detention without trial—and shifted to District Jail Bhadarwah.
Notably, there is a troubling lack of transparency regarding the identities and backgrounds of those detained. The families and local community members are left in uncertainty about the exact charges and evidence against them, raising serious concerns about due process and accountability.
The police have justified these detentions by alleging involvement in vandalism and disturbance of public order. However, the use of a draconian preventive detention law like the PSA against individuals participating in a protest—particularly one rooted in legitimate concerns over student safety—raises serious questions about the intent and priorities of the administration.
CASR views this development as deeply alarming. The deployment of the PSA to deal with protest actions reflects a pattern of criminalizing dissent and suppressing democratic expression. The situation becomes even more concerning in light of repeated observations made by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, which has, in numerous judgments, cautioned against the arbitrary and mechanical use of the PSA.
In several cases, the High Court has quashed PSA detentions, noting that authorities often “fail to apply their mind,” rely on vague and repetitive grounds, and misuse preventive detention as a substitute for ordinary criminal law. In Rekha v. State of Tamil Nadu, the judiciary held that preventive detention cannot be invoked when ordinary criminal law is sufficient. The High Court in Jammu and Kashmir has repeatedly struck down PSA orders for being based on stale, vague, or “copy-paste” dossiers, reinforcing that such detentions violate constitutional safeguards.
Jammu and Kashmir has already witnessed decades of erosion of civil liberties, and the continued use of PSA in this manner further intensifies the ongoing assault on fundamental freedoms.
We assert The use of PSA against protesters is a disproportionate and unjust response.
Preventive detention laws must not be used to silence democratic dissent.The repeated judicial censure of PSA misuse highlights the illegality of such actions.
We demand:
1. Immediate revocation of PSA charges and release of all detained individuals.
2. A time-bound, transparent investigation into the harassment allegations.
3. Accountability for misuse of draconian laws against civilians.
4. Protection of the right to protest and freedom of expression in Jammu and Kashmir.
CASR calls upon all democratic rights organizations, student groups, and concerned citizens to raise their voices against this repression and stand in solidarity with the people of Sopore.
Stop criminalizing dissent. Repeal draconian laws. Defend democratic rights.
CAMPAIGN AGAINST STATE REPRESSION (CASR)
Organising Team:
(AIRSO, AISF, APCR, ASA, BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, bsCEM, CEM, COLLECTIVE, CRPP, CSM, CTF, DISSC, DSU, DTF, Forum Against Repression Telangana, Fraternity Movement, IAPL, Innocence Network, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA, Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, NAPM, Nazariya Magazine, Nishant Natya Manch, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad, Samajwadi Lok Manch, Bahujan Samajwadi Manch, United Peace Alliance, WSS, Y4S)
