‘Let Kashmiris’ voices be heard’, Amnesty International urges India
Human rights watchdog demands New Delhi to allow access to news and information coming out of IOK
Human rights watchdog demands New Delhi to allow access to news and information coming out of IOK. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
The Amnesty International has demanded of the Indian government to lift the blackout of communications in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and let the voices of its residents, being held hostage of these brutal restrictions for the last 42-days, be heard.
In an online petition, launched on its website, the human rights group urged general public to demand that the Indian authorities lift the communications blackout and allow unconditional and unconstrained access to news and information from the occupied valley.
“The Indian government needs to put humanity first and let the people of Kashmir speak,” it plead.
“Nearly 8 million people in Kashmir have been living through a communication shut down since August 5. The world needs to know what’s happening. Take action and demand that the government let Kashmir speak,” the rights group urged the masses.
India’s illegal move of revoking Article 370, snatching special status of Jammu and Kashmir – India’s only Muslim-majority region – last month has brought the two nuclear-armed countries to the brink of confrontation. Prime Minister Imran Khan has requested the international powers to play their role and vowed to raise the issue at the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York.
India wants to damage Pakistan economically: PM Imran
On Friday, Prime Minister Imran asked the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), who were anxious to cross the Line of Control (LoC) towards the Indian side to help their oppressed brethren, to wait till his next call and until he fought the Kashmiris’ case at UNGA later this month.
“Many of you want to cross the LoC, but wait till I ask you to move forward and until I tell the world the horrific story of oppression in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK),” the prime minister said at a rally of several thousand people gathered at the Khurshid Hassan Khurshid Stadium in Muzaffarabad, the AJK capital.
According to AI’s report, nearly eight million people have been living through a telecommunications blackout since August 5. “The government of India is restricting freedoms by shutting down their ability to communicate with each other and the rest of the world, and by imposing curfews or curfew like situations preventing people from leaving their homes.”
The rights group expressed deep concern over reports of raids, arrests, clashes and detentions leaking out from the occupied valley. At a time like this, communications shut downs not only leave people stranded and add panic and unrest, they also affect the ability of doctors and humanitarian workers to carry out their work effectively, it added.
“The world can only speculate on what grave human rights violations might be taking place right now in Kashmir.”
The rights watchdog also raised concern over reports of political leaders being detained or are being kept under house arrest by the fascist Indian regime. “Access to emergency services, education and health care is also being affected.”
In an online petition, launched on its website, the human rights group urged general public to demand that the Indian authorities lift the communications blackout and allow unconditional and unconstrained access to news and information from the occupied valley.
“The Indian government needs to put humanity first and let the people of Kashmir speak,” it plead.
“Nearly 8 million people in Kashmir have been living through a communication shut down since August 5. The world needs to know what’s happening. Take action and demand that the government let Kashmir speak,” the rights group urged the masses.
India’s illegal move of revoking Article 370, snatching special status of Jammu and Kashmir – India’s only Muslim-majority region – last month has brought the two nuclear-armed countries to the brink of confrontation. Prime Minister Imran Khan has requested the international powers to play their role and vowed to raise the issue at the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York.
India wants to damage Pakistan economically: PM Imran
On Friday, Prime Minister Imran asked the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), who were anxious to cross the Line of Control (LoC) towards the Indian side to help their oppressed brethren, to wait till his next call and until he fought the Kashmiris’ case at UNGA later this month.
“Many of you want to cross the LoC, but wait till I ask you to move forward and until I tell the world the horrific story of oppression in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK),” the prime minister said at a rally of several thousand people gathered at the Khurshid Hassan Khurshid Stadium in Muzaffarabad, the AJK capital.
According to AI’s report, nearly eight million people have been living through a telecommunications blackout since August 5. “The government of India is restricting freedoms by shutting down their ability to communicate with each other and the rest of the world, and by imposing curfews or curfew like situations preventing people from leaving their homes.”
The rights group expressed deep concern over reports of raids, arrests, clashes and detentions leaking out from the occupied valley. At a time like this, communications shut downs not only leave people stranded and add panic and unrest, they also affect the ability of doctors and humanitarian workers to carry out their work effectively, it added.
“The world can only speculate on what grave human rights violations might be taking place right now in Kashmir.”
The rights watchdog also raised concern over reports of political leaders being detained or are being kept under house arrest by the fascist Indian regime. “Access to emergency services, education and health care is also being affected.”