Islamabad, A significant increase in the number of cases registered under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2022 has been reported in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) of India disclosed this rise in its annual report.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the NCRB’s annual report revealed that 371 cases were registered under the UAPA in IIOJK in 2022, a notable increase from the 289 cases recorded in 2021. The UAPA, a law criticized for its stringent provisions, has been utilized by Indian authorities to book various individuals in IIOJK, including Kashmiri Hurriyat leaders, rights defenders, journalists, civil society members, and ordinary people. The report indicates that these cases are often linked to the individuals’ affiliation with the ongoing freedom movement in the region.

The use of the UAPA in IIOJK has drawn criticism from international bodies and media. United Nations special rapporteurs have highlighted those certain provisions of the UAPA contravene international human rights standards as laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Furthermore, reports from sources like BBC News have pointed out that individuals arrested and charged under the UAPA face considerable challenges in securing bail.

This increase in UAPA cases in IIOJK raises concerns about the application of anti-terror laws and their impact on human rights and civil liberties in the region.