Brussels: To mark India’s Republic Day as Black Day, a peaceful protest was held today outside the Indian Embassy in Brussels, organized by the Kashmir Council Europe (KCEU). The demonstration highlighted concerns over human rights issues in the Indian-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to a statement by Kashmir Media Service, the protest, led by KCEU Chairman Ali Raza Syed, attracted a significant number of Kashmiris and their supporters. Participants included political and social organizations who carried Kashmiri flags and banners, chanting slogans against what they termed as Indian atrocities in the region. They called for India to fulfill promises regarding Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.

In his speech, Ali Raza Syed condemned human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir and urged an immediate cessation of the oppression of Kashmiris. He underscored the necessity for a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir issue to enable a life of prosperity and peace for its people.

Syed also drew attention to the imprisonment of key Kashmiri figures under charges he described as baseless, criticizing India’s use of stringent laws to detain them. He affirmed that the Kashmiri people remain steadfast in their pursuit of self-determination.

Other speakers at the protest highlighted the rally’s aim to communicate to the global community that India’s control over Jammu and Kashmir breaches the democratic and human rights of its people. They called for international efforts to halt the ongoing human rights abuses and support a fair resolution to the Kashmir conflict.