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Srinagar, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has issued a strong condemnation of the worsening human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), particularly following the revocation of the region’s special status by the Narendra Modi-led government in August 2019.
According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas provided a detailed account of the human rights violations reported since the policy change. He noted that since August 5, 2019, occupation forces have killed 875 Kashmiris, injured more than 2,400, and arrested around 24,015. In May alone, eight Kashmiris were killed, including three in what were described as fake encounters or custody, 703 youths were arrested, and four were injured.
Minhas criticized the Indian government for stifling freedom of expression and maintaining a culture of fear through harsh policies in the occupied territory. He highlighted the excessive military presence, stating that with nearly one million troops, IIOJK is among the most heavily militarized areas in the world.
The APHC reiterated that the long-standing Kashmir dispute is intricately connected to the ongoing human rights crisis in the region. The organization called on the international community to recognize India’s apparent disregard for human rights and international norms in IIOJK, urging global actors to press India to uphold human rights and seek a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict.