UN Human Rights experts denounced Tuesday, August 4 an " alarming situation " in Indian Kashmir, a Himalayan region siege of strong tensions, brutally taken over by New Delhi a year ago.
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In a press release, these independent experts, mandated by the United Nations but whose opinion does not commit the international organization, call on " India and the international community to take urgent measures to deal with the alarming human rights situation. of man in the territory ”.
" If India does not take any real and immediate action to resolve the situation, fulfill its obligations to investigate historical and recent cases of human rights violations and avoid future violations, then the international community should engage, ”they add.
Separatist insurgency for 30 years
A year ago, on August 5, 2019, the Indian government revoked the constitutional autonomy of Indian Kashmir, disputed with Pakistan and in the grip of a separatist insurgency for 30 years, tightening its control over this powder zone. Since then, " the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir has been in free fall ", according to experts.
The latter say they are " particularly concerned by the fact that during the Covid-19 pandemic, many demonstrators are still in detention and the restrictions (on) the Internet remain in place ". They also highlight the October 2019 closure of the Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission, “ which had been one of the few ways in which victims of human rights violations 'man could seek redress '.
Finally, they denounce the lack of response from the Indian authorities to three of the four letters sent by UN experts in recent months, calling on India " to urgently schedule visits " for these experts, in especially those responsible for torture and disappearances.
