Islamabad, Fifteen years after the Shopian double rape and murder incident, justice remains elusive for the victims’ families, sparking calls for an international probe into the tragic events that occurred in Shopian in 2009.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the victims, Aasiya and Neelofar, were abducted, raped, and murdered by men in uniform, with their bodies discovered in a nullah between the nights of May 29th and 30th, 2009. This incident highlights the severe human rights violations by Indian troops in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), including the systematic use of sexual violence as a tool of oppression. The report commemorates the incident’s 15th anniversary, stressing the ongoing violence and the 11,263 cases of sexual assault documented since 1990.
The families of the victims have called for an impartial international investigation, citing a lack of faith in Indian judicial processes and accusing Indian authorities of conducting superficial inquiries to protect the perpetrators. The call for global intervention underscores a significant distrust towards Indian institutions and the demand for accountability and justice that transcends national boundaries.
Leaders from the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), including Zamrooda Habib, Yasmeen Raja, and Fahreeda Behanji, have also voiced their support for the victims, emphasizing the lasting impact of the tragedy on the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the broader Kashmiri struggle for self-determination.