Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society releases its annual human rights report, Dec. 31, 2019

The year 2019 will be remembered as a landmark year in the annals of J&K’s chequered
history as the last vestiges of J&K’s limited autonomy were permanently revoked by the
Government of India on August 5, 2019. The decision was taken unilaterally without any
consultation with the people of Jammu and Kashmir in violation of Article 1.1 of ICCPR,
which lays down that, “All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that
right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.” The government of India not only did not consult with people of J&K or their representatives in a decision which they regard as ‘beneficial for the future of J&K’ but threw the entire leadership – both pro-India and pro-resolution political leaders in jail. The decision was also accompanied by a military siege in which nearly one hundred thousand troops were deployed in the state – especially in Kashmir valley, manning streets, alleys and all major city and town squares. A strict curfew was enforced accompanied with a total communication blockade – in which all mobile phone services, internet services, and postal services were shut. Reports of allegations of mass arrests, torture, killings, use of excessive force, harassment and intimidation emerged soon after the abrogation of Article 370 which this report documents. Read the whole report here