New Delhi, August 04, 2021 (PPI-OT): Delhi-based Forum for Human Rights co chaired by a former Indian Supreme Court judge, has released a report on rights abuses in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of the completion of two years of Modi government’s illegal action of revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5, 2019.

In the latest report, former Indian Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur and former Kashmir interlocutor Radha Kumar, who head the Forum for Human Rights in J and K, have warned that “human rights abuses will continue unchecked till J and K remains under a Lieutenant-Governor administration”.

“Most of the rights violations, including arbitrary detentions, prohibition on assembly, remain valid still. Close to 1,000 people [actual number far greater than stated—KMS] are still in prison, including minors and elected legislators. The J and K administration added a new vigilantism against government employees, whose social media content is now subject to police scrutiny for ‘anti-national (India) activities’, potentially leading to dismissal. Eighteen government employees have already been dismissed,” the report said.

It was on August 5, 2019, that J and K’s special constitutional position was ended by New Delhi and it was divided into two UTs of J and K and Ladakh. Regarding the June 24 meeting between IIOJK leaders and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the report said, “The PM’s offer, however, fell far short of expectations. The Reorganization Act, he said, would continue to be implemented, and elections would be held for a UT assembly. These pre-conditions put regional parties in an awkward position. If they participate in elections under these conditions, their challenges in the court may be rendered infructuous. If they do not, there is a high risk that human rights abuses will continue unchecked,” it said. It said that the censorship on local media houses in coordination with security agencies had been institutionalised.

The report recommended release of all political detainees and repeal of the PSA and other preventive detention legislation. “Institute time-bound enquiries into allegations of torture in detention, such as those made in regard to the People’s Democratic Party leader Waheed Para,” it added.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org