Srinagar, A new report titled “Dark Days, Deadly Nights” has been released, detailing the brutal atrocities committed by Indian forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The report, compiled by the Institute of Kashmir Studies and reproduced by the Legal Forum for Kashmir, aims to bring international attention to the ongoing human rights violations in the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the report spans incidents since December 1994 and documents a chilling array of human rights violations, including extrajudicial and custodial executions, with 33 killings reported in just one month. The documentation covers various forms of abuse such as arbitrary arrests, torture, and the systematic targeting of civilians, journalists, and human rights defenders by Indian forces. Notably, the report highlights the cases of five Kashmiri journalists and activists currently detained in Indian jails.
The report also condemns the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for enabling these abuses and calls for its repeal. It details the impact of India’s crackdown on civil liberties, including the suppression of free speech and assembly, and the targeting of individuals via the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under false charges. The report’s findings are supported by statistics, including the recorded killings of 96,300 individuals from 1989 to April 2024, with extensive civilian arrests and destruction of homes.
One of the most harrowing accounts included in the report is the mass rape of women in Kunanposhpora in 1991 by Indian troops, emphasizing the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. The report calls on the international community and organizations like the UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International, which have condemned these actions, to intensify their efforts for a peaceful resolution and accountability for the crimes committed.