Kashmiri Delegation Urges International Action at UNHRC Over Worsening Human Rights Crisis

GENEVA: Kashmiri representatives delivered a unified and urgent appeal for global intervention during the general debate at the 61st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), following a briefing by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The delegation highlighted what it described as a rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), calling for immediate international attention and accountability.
Speaking on behalf of the World Muslim Congress, Altaf Hussain Wani expressed grave concern over the alleged suppression of dissent through arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and the misuse of counter-terrorism legislation. He condemned what he termed systematic surveillance and digital restrictions in the region, urging the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to intensify monitoring mechanisms and ensure accountability for those responsible for violations.
Representing International Action for Peace and Sustainable Development, Sardar Amjad Yousaf Khan presented data indicating that since 2019, more than 1,050 people have been killed and thousands detained. He underscored concerns over restrictions on international observers and independent media, and called upon the High Commissioner to release a third OHCHR report assessing the accountability gap and ongoing rights challenges in the region.
Shamim Shawl, speaking for the International Muslim Women’s Union, drew attention to what she described as a deepening gender-based crisis. She detailed allegations of sexual violence, forced widowhood, and long-term psychological trauma among Kashmiri women. Highlighting a perceived climate of impunity, she urged the immediate publication of a dedicated OHCHR report focusing specifically on violations against women in the territory.
The delegation also cited individual cases to illustrate the broader crisis, including the enforced disappearance of Pervez Shah. They maintained that such cases reflect the urgent need for transparent investigations and an end to what they called a culture of impunity. Sheikh Abdul Mateen participated in the session via video link, reiterating calls for justice, transparency, and international engagement.
In a collective statement, the Kashmiri representatives demanded unhindered access for international human rights bodies and independent observers to the region. They reaffirmed their call for a peaceful resolution of the dispute, grounded in the rights, dignity, and aspirations of the Kashmiri people in accordance with international law.
The appeal comes amid continued international debate over the human rights situation in the contested territory, with speakers urging the global community to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete, principled action.