November 6,2019

Anna Murray 

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has spoken out on November 5 and expressed extreme concerns in Kashmir’s situation. 

Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria, who twice served as President of Chile from 2006 to 2010 and later from 2014 to 2018, has been serving as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights since September 1, 2018. In her speech at the 42nd session of the UN Human Rights Council held at Geneva during September 9 to 27, Ms. Bachelet had addressed global human rights violations and emergencies, in particular, about India’s restrictions imposed on Kashmir. Ms. Bachelet emphasized her concerns on November 5 again, denounced India continue depriving Kashmir people of their basic freedoms, and urged the Indian government to unlock the situation.

The Indian government abruptly revoked Kashmir’s special status from Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5. Under the August 5 decision, Kashmir was bifurcated into Jammu and Kashmir as two union territories. “Freedom Curbs” has been installed to disavowed the free movement of people, obstructed the right to peaceful assembly and restricted the rights to education, medical care, and freedom of religion and belief. Internet services remain disrupted in the Kashmir valley.

On November 5, a spokesperson for OHCHR, Rupert Colville, acknowledged in Geneva that curfew lately had been lifted from most of the Jammu and Ladakh regions. But Mr. Colville criticized hundreds of political and civil society leaders still held in detention, including 3 former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir. In addition, Mr. Colville also complained of the Indian Supreme Court is too slow to deal with petitions of habeas corpus, freedom of movement and media restrictions. Mr. Colville urged the Indian authorities to unlock the situation and fully restore the rights Kashmir's people presently being denied.

Photo:Webshot.