Kashmir, MINA – UN human rights experts on Tuesday voiced deep concern over what they described as “serious human rights violations” committed by Indian authorities following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 people, Anadolu Agency reported.
In a joint statement, the experts condemned the deadly attack targeting a tourist area, offering condolences to victims and their families. They stressed, however, that counterterrorism measures “must always comply with international human rights law.”
Following the attack, Indian authorities carried out wide-ranging security operations across kashmir/">Jammu and Kashmir, detaining around 2,800 people, including journalists and human rights defenders.
Many detainees were held under the Public Safety Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which allow prolonged detention without charge or trial. Reports also included allegations of torture, incommunicado detention, and denial of access to legal counsel and family members.
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The experts condemned “arbitrary arrests and detentions, suspicious deaths in custody, torture, lynchings, and discriminatory treatment of Kashmiri and Muslim communities.”
They also cited punitive house demolitions, forced evictions, and displacement of families accused of supporting militants—actions they described as collective punishment and contrary to a 2024 ruling by India’s Supreme Court.
They further raised alarm over communication blackouts, mobile internet shutdowns, and the blocking of nearly 8,000 social media accounts, calling these measures disproportionate restrictions on freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
Beyond Kashmir, the experts noted increased surveillance and harassment of Kashmiri students, rising hate speech against Muslims, widespread demolitions in Gujarat and Assam, and the expulsion of nearly 1,900 Muslims and Rohingya refugees. Such expulsions, they warned, violate the international principle of non-refoulement.
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The experts urged India to align its counterterrorism laws with international standards, ensure accountability for abuses, and immediately release all individuals arbitrarily detained in kashmir/">Jammu and Kashmir. They also called on India and Pakistan to seek a peaceful resolution to the long-standing conflict over Kashmir, which has fueled repeated crises and cross-border violence.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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