OIC-IPHRC expresses concern over HRs violations in Occupied Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of OIC has strongly condemned the human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The  (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in its press release has said that India has turned occupied Kashmir (IoK)  into the world’s largest prison with severe human rights and humanitarian repercussions on the innocent Kashmiri population.

“Despite this iron curtain blockade, there are credible media reports confirming that over 5000, mostly young Kashmiris, have been illegally detained by the security forces, entire political leadership is incarcerated without any legal recourse, and journalists and human rights activists are being prosecuted on false charges,” reads a press release.

“These are deplorable and blatant violations of Kashmiris’ fundamental human rights including the right to life, right to freedom of expression, right to peaceful protest and assembly, which are contrary to international human rights law and also violative of India’s commitments/international human rights obligations,” the press release reads further.

IPHRC welcomed the Press Statement issued by the Special Procedures/Reporters of the UN Human Rights Council, which has termed the ongoing ‘blackout as a form of collective punishment of the people of Jammu and Kashmir’ and expressed concerns over the illegal detentions and enforced disappearances of young protestors and use of excessive force including live ammunition to disperse the protests.

The Commission also welcomed and echoes the call made by the OIC to the Government of India to immediately lift the curfew and communication blackout in IOK and restore fundamental freedoms and civil liberties of the Kashmiris.