FIR lodged against Kashmiri Imam for speaking against settler-colonialism

On 15th April, the Jammu and Kashmir police lodged an FIR in Kashmir’s Budgam district, against a Kashmiri Imam, Syed Arshad Hussain, for speaking against India’s settler-colonial policies and attempts to change the Muslim-majority demographic composition of the valley.

While we were not able to access the exact charges that have been mentioned in the FIR, the police station summoned Hussain after his video in which he drew parallels between Israeli settler violence in Palestine and Indian settler-colonial project in Kashmir was shared on social media platforms. As on 15th April, Hussain was under police custody.

In the video, Hussain is seen speaking to the people on 14th April, urging them to protect their fundamental human rights and to raise their voice against the demographic changes that have unfolded in the valley after the abrogation of the Article 35-A in 2019.