Intimidation and harassment and denial of entry in to India  of woman writer, HRD

On 23^rd February, 2024, the harassment, intimidation and detention of Professor Nitasha Kaul a professor at the University of Westminster, London, by immigration authorities at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

On February 24 and 25, 2024, the government of Karnataka organised a conference titled “The Constitution and Unity of India” in Bengaluru, Karnataka to commemorate the 75^th year of the Indian Constitution and the 75^th year of commitment to the values and spirit of the Constitutional ideas of India. Prof. Nitasha Kaul was invited to the conference as a delegate, by Dr. H.C Mahadevappa, Social Welfare Minister & Mysuru District In-charge Minister.

Professor Nitasha Kaul, aged about 48 years is a Kashmiri novelist, writer and poet; and a professor of Political Science at the University of Westminster, London. She is an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holder. In 2019, Ms Kaul served as a key witness before the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs, testifying about human rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

Freedom of movement is a constitutional right in the Indian Constitution; and as an overseas citizen of India, she has a multiple purpose and lifelong visa for visiting India. Travel restrictions on academics and scholars has a chilling effect on freedom of expression and freedom of movement and the right to peaceful dissent against the government.

 We HRDA urge the Hon’ble Commission to take cognisance of the above case and urgently:

• Order an immediate, thorough, transparent, effective and impartial investigation into the illegal and arbitrary detention of Professor Kaul allegedly on the basis of the LOC and submit the report to the NHRC within two weeks.
• Take immediate action on the perpetrators in this case the immigration officials for issuing the LOC and not providing Professor Nitasha Kaul with a copy of the same;