Month: September 2020

India took on United Nations Human Rights chief, Michele Bachelet who had stated that civilians face violence in the country, in Geneva on Tuesday. Bachelet, while giving the “Global Human Rights Update”, said, “incidents of military and police violence against civilians continue, including use of pellet guns, as well as incidents related to the military.” ALSO READ: UN Human Rights Chief Raises Kashmir- says ‘Atrocities Continue’ Indra Mani Pandey, while responding to the statement expressed his disappointment at Bachelet’s statement and said that since changes were made in the Jammu Kashmir (referring to the abrogation of the Article 35 A and 370), people there are enjoying the same fundamental rights of freedom as citizens elsewhere in India. "We have been able to revive gr...

The United Nations high commissioner for human rights Michele Bachelet has expressed deep concern for prisoners in Kashmir and the ongoing communication blockade in Jammu Kashmir. She also welcomed the release of some political leadership and limited internet restoration in two Kashmir districts. Bachelet at the start of the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on Monday, gave a “Global Human Rights Update” on the situation across the globe during which she made a mention of Jammu Kashmir saying that “incidents of military and police violence against civilians continue, including use of pellet guns, as well as incidents related to militancy”. She said that the changes in the constitutional status and domicile rules of J&K have generated “deep anxiety,...

The future of Kashmir cannot be determined by India unilaterally, lawmakers from EU and UK said while reaffirming their support for Kashmiris as the principal stakeholders of the conflict. With the UNGA’s 75th session scheduled in days, lawmakers, diplomats and journalists from the EU, UK, India, Pakistan and Jammu Kashmir and Pakistan administered Kashmir agreed that the international community must know how Kashmir had become extremely restive since Aug 5 last year, and this comes with implications for conflict escalation in the region. The session was chaired by Senator Sherry Rehman, president of the Jinnah Institute, and participants included UK Member of Parliament (MP) Andrew Gwynne, Senior journalist Iftikhar Gilani, Member of European Parliament (MEP) Michael Gahler, former...