SRINAGAR: On the occasion of Human Rights Day, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has conveyed a stark reality, asserting that the commemoration holds little meaning for the oppressed people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Leaders Shabbir Ahmed Shah and Nayeem Ahmed Khan, currently incarcerated in Tihar jail, expressed the sentiment that the residents of IIOJK have been deprived of their fundamental rights and freedoms, as outlined in the United Nations Charter.
From their confinement, they highlighted IIOJK as the sole region globally where the entire population faces deprivation of basic human rights. The situation, described as dire, calls for the attention of international bodies, including the United Nations, and the world’s influential nations. Molvi Bashir Ahmad Irfani and Bilal Siddiqi, also detained in IIOJK, deplored the celebration of Human Rights Day, considering it a painful reminder of unaddressed grievances. They criticized the lack of sincere efforts by the United Nations to restore the rights of Kashmiris, who continue to endure tyranny and subjugation.
In separate statements, other jailed APHC leaders and prominent figures expressed concern over the prevailing human rights abuses in IIOJK. They characterized the actions of Indian troops as heinous crimes against humanity, emphasizing the violation of the United Nations Charter. The leaders urged the international community and global human rights organizations to take immediate cognizance of Indian state terrorism and fulfill their responsibilities to protect the basic rights of Kashmiris.
Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, the spokesperson of the High Court Bar Association in IIOJK, added his voice, underscoring the grave human rights situation in the territory. He noted that human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, and the general populace face severe Indian state terrorism.
Across the Line of Control, APHC leaders in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) called upon the world to acknowledge the plight of IIOJK’s people, who have been stripped of their basic rights by India. They appealed to nations, organizations, and individuals worldwide who champion human rights and dignity to support the Kashmiris in their just struggle for the inalienable right to self-determination. The statements collectively echo the ongoing distress and urgency surrounding the human rights crisis in the region.
