COUNTRY: India
POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Deputy Chief of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front
DATE OF ARREST: 10 September 1991
PLACE OF DETENTION: (Original): Kotbalwal Detention Centre, Jammu. (Current): Not known with certainty
Arrested by Security Forces 10 September 1991, he was detained under the Public Safety Act for one year. The Public Safety Act allows the government to hold a person for one year without charge or trial. A warrant for his detention was issued 27 February 1992 at which point he was detained in Udhampur Jail. He was moved to Kotbalwal in Jammu on 26 February, 1993.The court had called for him to be produced on at least three occasions along with the police officials responsible for his continued detention. He was not produced as ordered. On 8 June 1994 police officials claimed an escort was not available and so he could not be produced. At that time the court ordered he be produced on 14 June 1994. On this date he was not produced either. The judge stated that "It is quite strange that the law executing authorities are not giving due regard to the orders passed by the court which the authorities are meant for. In the case, not to speak of the execution of orders by superior officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector General, he has not even cared to send a few lines to this Court in respect of the compliance of the orders of this Court." He was again ordered to be brought before the Court on 5 July 1994.
On 22 September 1997 a member of Group 49 wrote to Mr. P. L. Handoo, Minister of Law in Sringar expressing concerns regarding Noor Mohammad Karwal. Minister Handoo replied in a letter dated 24 October 1997. On 10 November 1997 Justice A. Q. Parray of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court quashed a number of detention orders, including that of Noor Mohammad Karwal. It was at this point that Group 49 approached several Rhode Island Officials regarding the case and on 16 July 1998 the Governor sent a letter to Mr. P. L. Handoo regarding the case. On 17 July 1999 Mr Karwal was granted bail by a TADA Court. As soon as Mr. Karwal reached the main gate he was once again arrested by the Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK). He is now being detained under the Public Safety Act for a further year, and is still being held in the Central Jail, Srinagar.
AMNESTY CONCERNS: Amnesty is concerned that Mr. Karwal is not being charged with recognizable offenses nor is he being affforded a trial in a regular court of law.