Hurriyat seeks UN intervention on 'human rights violations' in J&K for first time since 2019

The Hurriyat said arrests have been weaponised to harass people and instill fear in them

In its first such statement since the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 in August 2019, Hurriyat Conference on Thursday sought the intervention of the United Nations to stop alleged human rights violations in the Valley by security forces.

In a statement, a spokesperson of the Hurriyat, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said arrests have been weaponised to harass people and instill fear in them. “Hundreds of Kashmiris irrespective of their age and background, including religious scholars, are languishing in prisons and detention centres under draconian laws awaiting trials that are delayed,” he said.

The Hurriyat statement claimed that the health condition of many prisoners has considerably deteriorated and they have developed serious health issues, leading to the death of some in recent times.

“Repeated appeals to the government for release of detainees are ignored and the policy continues. Five youth arrested from Ramban were slapped with PSA a few days back while another youth Imran Bashir Ganie of Harmain alleged to be a "hybrid militant" by the authorities was killed while in police custody, raising serious questions of human rights violations,” the statement said.

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Similarly, it added that youth of J&K are arrested and labeled as “over-ground workers (OGWs)”, “narrative terrorists” and “militant sympathisers” and slapped with draconian Public Safety Act (PSA).

The Hurriyat statement alleged that no voice to question and resist this injustice is allowed to be raised. “Even through the arduous legal route, hope for justice is bleak as institutions usually favour authorities,” it said.

In such a scenario, the Hurriyat urged upon rights organisations in India and outside, and the UN, whose chief Antonio Guterres recently visited India to take up this matter with the government of India and provide respite to the people of J&K.

While it was routine for the Hurriyat and other separatist organisations to seek UN intervention into Kashmir issue prior to August 5, 2019, Thursday's statement is first since the momentous decision of the Modi government to revoke Article 370.

In the statement, the Hurriyat has reiterated its stand that the “Kashmir conflict has to be resolved, a fact admitted by both India and Pakistan, the parties to the conflict, to the satisfaction of the entire people of J&K, the main party in the conflict.”