HRW Slams Imposition Of Curfew In Occupied Kashmir

(@fidahassanain)

HRW slams imposition of curfew in Occupied Kashmir

HRW said that the Indian government imposed unwarranted restrains on the rights to free speech, access to information, health care, and education have been intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic.

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 4th, 2020) The Human Rights Watch (HRW) slammed the Modi government’s restrictions on the Kashmiris living in the Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) here on Tuesday.

Taking to Twitter, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said: “The #Indian government continues to impose harsh restrictions on #JammuAndKashmir; #Cambodian authorities arrest outspoken labor unionist; and a trade deal between the #EuropeanUnion and #Brazil could save the #Amazon,”.

HRW said that the Indian government imposed unwarranted restrains on the rights to free speech, access to information, health care, and education have been intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report stated that Indian government had detained thousands of people, shut down telecommunication services and imposed restrictions on freedom of movement and public meetings.

Terming India’s notorious Public Safety Law as ‘draconian’, the HRW noted that thousands had been arrested in occupied Kashmir and three former chief ministers as well as more than 140 children, had been held in custody ever since the unilateral move was undertaken by the Modi government.

The human rights organisation mentioned allegations of torture and ill-treatment against the Indian security forces and the misuse of sedition laws to clamp down on peaceful, dissenting voices.

“In June, the government announced a new media policy in Jammu and Kashmir that empowers the authorities to decide what is “fake news, plagiarism and unethical or anti-national activities” and to take punitive action against media outlets, journalists, and editors,” read the statement from the HRW.

The HRW noted how the coronavirus pandemic, its crippling economic effects due to the lockdown in the territory and the suspension of internet services by the Indian government, had made life difficult for people especially in countering COVID-19.

Fida Hussnain

Fida Hussnain is a lahore based journalist. He writes on politics, religion, social issues and climate change. He is also a research fellow at University of Gujrat.