In February 2026, Indian authorities continued to commit grave human rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir. Indian forces killed at least six people. Indian authorities continued their ongoing systematic campaigns of mass detention and collective punishment through raids and cordon-and-search operations. Indian authorities continued to deny free expression, including through prosecutions for social media posts, and escalated their ongoing expropriation of land and related violations, including through a military base in a nature preserve, 43 new high-altitude military bases and four new railway lines.
Numerous Kashmiri journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and dissenters continue to be arbitrarily detained. Emblematic cases include those of human rights defender Khurram Parvez—illegally imprisoned for over four years (1,578 days), journalist Irfan Mehraj—illegally imprisoned for almost three years (1,094 days), human rights lawyer Mian Abdul Qayoom—illegally imprisoned for almost two years (632 days) and scholar Shafat Wani—illegally imprisoned for almost one year (343 days). On February 24, 2026, India’s Supreme Court denied bail to Mian Abdul Qayoom.