Amnesty international sounds alarm on human rights in Jammu and Kashmir

Amnesty International publishes a report on the severe human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir following its constitutional status shift in 2019.

Indian authorities have enforced strong anti-terrorism measures and travel restrictions aimed at suppressing dissent against government actions, according to the report. The organization said that human rights violations rose since Jammu and Kashmir’s special autonomous status was revoked.

Amnesty International goes into details with regards to the detention without being arbitrary, cancellation of the passport, putting names in no-fly lists, an area preventing entry into India, and the cancellation of privileges overseas citizenship.

The rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir are being deprived of deciding their matters concerning them, which is accompanied by very strong restrictions on their freedom of movement.

The report emphasizes the use of laws such as PSA and UAPA, which purportedly allow detention without charge for two years. Akar Patel, Chair of Amnesty International India’s Board, calls for immediate release of people detained under these laws “as a first critical step toward resolving the situation in this region”.

The report also shows that journalists and scholars have generally been significantly circumscribed in their travel and speech regarding Jammu and Kashmir.