UN calls on India to conduct impartial probe, prosecute those responsible for atrocities in occupied Kashmir

The United Nations Special Rapporteurs have expressed serious concerns over the human rights situation in India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, in its third communication to India since it imposed a lockdown in the region in August last year.

"We have serious concerns over the human rights conditions in occupied Kashmir," the rapporteurs said, adding that extrajudicial killings, imprisonment, torture, and abuse by Indian forces are matters of grave concern.

The UN demanded that India conduct an unbiased probe into the atrocities committed against Kashmiris. "Prosecute those responsible for the killing, torturing, and abusing Kashmiris," it said.

"The United Nations has sent three memoranda to India since August 5 [...] unfortunately, India has not responded to any of them," it added.

Mazari pens letter to UN

Separately, Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari penned a letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, expressing serious concerns over India's annexation of Jammu and Kashmir.

"I am writing to your office today out of grave concern over the illegal annexation of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir by the Republic of India on 5th August 2019. Your personal commitment to protecting and promoting human rights has been consistent and unwavering due to which I appeal to your respected office to bring to a halt the forcible transfer of civilian populations to and from India Occupied Jammu and Kashmir," she wrote.

"India violated the Geneva Convention by allotting domicile to 25,000 non-Kashmiris," the letter added.

Mazari noted that UNHCR has issued two reports on the situation in the valley and that the reports had expressed serious concerns about the human rights situation in India-occupied Kashmir.

She said that the recent photograph of a three-year-old child crying over the dead body of his grandfather in Sopore reflects continued Indian barbarism.

The human rights minister said that unfortunately, in the absence of intervention by international community, India seems to have gained the strength to violate international human rights law and international humanitarian law, with no concern as to consequence for these serious violations.

On August 5, 2019, the Indian government had unilaterally imposed a decision to unlawfully annex occupied Kashmir into India.

This was in part fulfillment of the longstanding promise by the BJP in previous elections. Now, the Indian authorities have notified new rules permitting all those who have lived in occupied Kashmir for 15 years or studied there for seven years to apply for a domicile.