UN experts say Indian Kashmir politician arrested for torturing Human Rights News

Srinagar, Indian administered Kashmir – United Nations experts have expressed concern over the “broader model of repressive measures and systematic violations of fundamental rights” of the Indian administration in Kashmir, and have called on the Indian government to respond to allegations of violations of rights in the region discussed.

In a letter sent to the Indian government in late March and made public on Monday, five UN experts sought New Delhi’s response to the three main allegations: Naseer Ahmad Wani’s “forced disappearance” from the Kashmir district of southern Kashmir, “out of court killing”. ”“ Arbitrary arrest ”of Irfan Ahmad Dar’s Kashmir in northern Soporena and Indian leader Waheed-Ur-Rehman Para in Pulwama.

In November last year, the letter stated that Para, who was arrested by the National Investigative Agency of India (NIA) for “terrorism charges” for allegedly “abusing” and conducting “abusive interrogations” lasted 10-12 hours a day.

“They were held in a dark subterranean cell at sub-zero temperatures, deprived of sleep, kicked, slapped, beaten with rods, stripped naked and hung upside down,” he says in the letter.

“A Para government doctor examined him three times … and three times a psychiatrist. He asked for medication to get insomnia and anxiety,” he added.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan as it promises parts of it but claims the entire territory of the Himalayas. Two armed nations have fought two of the three wars in the region.

In the early 1990s, an armed uprising against Indian rule broke out in India, killing thousands of people, mostly civilians. The rebels are demanding the annexation of an independent state or neighboring Pakistan.

The region also has a small group of pro-Indian politicians and political parties participating in national and regional elections.

In a UN expert letter, Para, a young leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), one of India’s pro-political parties, was arrested in July last year after a virtual meeting with members of the UN Security Council. violations of rights ”administered in Kashmir, India.

In a Spl Rapporteurs letter, Waheed Para NIA officials accused him of being tortured for “retaliation” for comments to UNSC ambassadors. pic.twitter.com/0vf2xqRhen

– Suhasini Haidar (@suhasinih) June 1, 2021

In a meeting with UNSC members, Para “sounded the alarm about India’s actions in Jammu and Kashmir, its treatment of Muslim minorities and recent border tensions with China,” UN experts said in the letter.

“After this commitment, Para received threats from NIA officials stating that he was inviting trouble by participating in these events. He was given an ultimatum that if he did not stop talking about the Government, measures would be taken against him,” the letter says.

Para was arrested for submitting candidacy documents for local elections and a few days from his constituency of Pulwama. While he was given bail in the “terrorism” case, he was re-arrested in another case by regional counterinsurgency forces.

‘Has set an example for’

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, also the region’s last elected minister, told Al Jazeera that Para believed in “democracy and peace”.

“It is very unfortunate that a person who believes in democracy and brings young people to the mainstream has been a torchbearer like that. When we say we want to attract and attract Kashmir youth to the mainstream, Waheed (Para) has become an example in a very negative way,” he said.

Indian police fire a pellet gun at protesters after Friday prayers in Srinagar, March 5, 2021 [File: Danish Ismail/Reuters]

“What impression does it give? It could happen to a person who was part of the mainstream and defended democracy and peaceful means, what will happen to others and what will be their future? “

A member of Para’s family, who did not want to be identified, told Al Jazeera that he was being punished for “contacting people in Kashmir.”

“He is innocent and has become weak in prison. When the BJP leaders came to Kashmir, they wanted to reconcile with the people and join the youth. He did that and now it has suddenly become his crime, ”the relative said.

During a visit to the Muslim-majority region in 2018, then-Federal Minister of the Interior Rajnath Singh praised Para for organizing a “youth-filled” Para event.

“He also worked with stone pelmes and tried to bring them to the mainstream. He was praised for doing it at the time. We don’t know how long they will be able to hold it, but they will still have confidence in the judiciary that it will come out, ”Para’s relative told Al Jazeera.

Irfan Dar and Naseer Wani

Another case raised by UN experts is Irfan Ahmad Dar, a 23-year-old trader from the Kashmir district of northern Kashmir, who was arrested on September 15 by agents wearing civilian clothes at his shop.

“He was arrested at the Dar Sopor police station without an order,” he says in the letter.

The next morning, according to the letter, Darren’s family was told he was dead.

“Police said Dar was killed while trying to escape from their custody. However, his latest rites were found to be performed on his body, his facial bones were broken, his front teeth were broken and his head had bruises from severe trauma. The family was more than his corpse. he was allowed to see his body minutes earlier, ”the experts wrote.

They added, “In the face of protests against the murder, the district administration ordered a probe. During the probe, two police officers were suspended from their duties for allowing them to escape for ‘irresponsibility of duty’, but no one was held responsible for his murder.”

UN experts have also sought a response from the Indian government over the case of 19-year-old Naseer Ahmad Wani from the village of Doompora in the southern Shopase district after a “compulsory disappearance” of his residence after a raid by paramilitary forces.

“On November 29, 2019, a group of 44 Rashtriya Rifles (44 RRs) searched his house, where he lives with his family, saying his phone was allegedly used by militants,” their letter said “searched every corner and vandalized the property.”

“While they were searching the house, the army staff had two children next to them, who were using them as human shields. They were both beaten. Army staff gathered all the women in a single room and asked them all to ask for names, take photos and hand over their mobile phones. They threatened to strip them naked if they did not comply, ”the letter says.

He went on to say that “five soldiers entered Wani’s room and locked the door from the inside.”

“For more than half an hour, family members, locked in the next room, heard her crying while they were being beaten. The soldiers then went out with them. “

“Serious Violation of Rights Model”

UN experts wrote that on November 30, 2019, the family went to the police and directed them to an army camp from a place far away.

“Late that afternoon, the same army officers went to Wani’s house. The army chief told his family that it was not necessary to return to the police station or initiate legal proceedings as Wani was released, ”he says in the letter.

But Wani did not come home. “The next evening, December 1, the Chief returned to Wani’s house with some staff. He gathered all the family members in a single room and aimed the gun at the family’s neck and threatened not to make any further inquiries or take any legal action, ”he says in the letter.

The letter mentions that the police filed a report of the missing person on December 2, 2019, following a previous request by the family.

“However, it is not yet known what Wani’s fate is and where she is,” he said.

“While we do not want to prejudge the accuracy of these allegations, we are expressing our grave concern that, if they were to be confirmed, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture and ill-treatment, would be a mandatory disappearance.”

UN experts said the allegations “seem to be a constant pattern of serious human rights violations by police, the army, security agencies and the judiciary in the Jammu and Kashmir region.”

The accusations are believed to be “a model of serious human rights violations” that “guarantees the most serious attention from the highest authorities” and “may publicly express their concerns for the near future”.

“[We] they believe that the general public should be informed of the consequences of these allegations on the exercise and enjoyment of human rights, ”they said.

In July 2019, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a 43-page report to form a commission of inquiry into a “comprehensive, independent and international investigation” into allegations of human rights violations in Kashmir.

The Commission of Inquiry is one of the top-level UN probes, which is generally reserved for major global crises. The Indian government has often denied that allegations of violations of rights in the region are “false”.

Meenakshi Ganguly, director of South Asia’s Human Rights Watch organization, told Al Jazeera that UN experts had raised “very serious concerns” and said he had also raised the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“The arrest of Waheed Para in retaliation is of particular concern for his statement to the UN Security Council and violates India’s international obligations,” he said.

“Indian authorities should order independent investigations into these allegations and hold those responsible accountable.”