AI alarmed by rights abuses in IIOJK

Urges int'l community to hold India accountable for grave rights violations

ISLAMABAD:

Amnesty International on Saturday sounded alarms over intensified repression of rights in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in the last three years, saying it had recorded at least 60 instances of crackdowns on journalists and human rights defenders since the revocation of special status of the region in August 2019.

In a report titled “We are being punished by the law: Three years since abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir”, Amnesty documented interrogations, travel bans and detentions of journalists and human rights defenders.

The human rights watchdog observed that in recent years, civil society members, journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders in the region had faced relentless interrogations, arbitrary travel bans, revolving door detentions and repressive media policies.

“For three years now, civil society and media in Jammu and Kashmir have been subjected to a vicious crackdown by the Indian government, which is determined to stifle dissent using draconian laws, policies and unlawful practices in their arsenal,” said Aakar Patel, the chair of the board of Amnesty International India.

“By harassing and intimidating critical voices, authorities are targeting all credible, independent sources of information in and about Jammu and Kashmir. There is a silence achieved on all dissent through heavy-handed repression which has spread fear and uncertainty in the region,” he added.

It said that the Indian government had total control over the information coming out of occupied Kashmir after passing restrictive media policies such as the 2020 Revised Media Policy and 2021 Film Policy.

“After an initial 18-month internet shutdown, the Indian authorities still often suspend internet services in various parts of Kashmir often without any prior notice,” the report highlighted, adding that the sudden “forced closure” of the Kashmir Press Club in 2022 by the Indian government was a “big blow to the already disintegrating media pool”.

Amnesty said it had found at least six people, including journalists, human rights activists and academics, had been prevented from traveling abroad despite having the requisite travel documents. At least 27 journalists had been detained and arrested since August 5, 2019, it said.

“Journalists including Fahad Shah, Aasif Sultan and Sajad Gul have been subjected to ‘revolving door’ arrests. In a continuing pattern, they have been arrested under one law, granted bail by the court, and then re-arrested almost immediately under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) – India’s primary anti-terror law in Jammu & Kashmir, keeping them perpetually detained,” Amnesty said.

The report reviewed 1,346 cases on the website of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and found that by August 1, 2022, the number of writ petitions had increased by 32%, which it said indicated an increase in unlawful detention.

“Amnesty International also reviewed the data published by National Crime Record Bureau and found that there has been a 12% increase in the use of UAPA in Jammu & Kashmir since 2019. This emerging trend of using the draconian UAPA in addition to the much-abused Public Safety Act (PSA) is also evidenced by an analysis of information on the High Court’s website,” it said.

“There is a lack of accountability for use of force in the region by the police due to the continued enforcement of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) which grants them additional powers and impunity and falls short of international human rights standards.”

The international rights watchdog called on the Indian government to immediately release those arbitrarily detained under administrative detention and other repressive laws and ensure that they were tried promptly and fairly in a regular court.

It also urged the international community to hold India accountable for its grave human rights violations in the region, ensure its cooperation with United Nations Mechanisms and facilitate immediate and independent investigation in the region.