ISLAMABAD, Feb 03 (APP): The Legal Forum for Kashmir (LFK) has issued its annual report on “Human Rights Situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK)”.
According to the report, in 2022, at least 312 killings in different incidents of state violence in IIOJK occured which include; the killing of at least 181 freedom fighters, 45 extra-judicial killings of civilians, and 86 Indian armed forces personnel from January to December 2022.
During this period, at least 199 Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs) and Cordon and Destroy Operations (CADOs) were conducted by the Indian military and paramilitary forces.
At least 116 encounters took place between Indian Armed Forces and the freedom fighters of Kashmir. During these CASOs, vandalism and destruction of nearly 212 civilian properties were reported.
The media continued to be at the receiving end of the pressure, intimidation, and harassment by the Indian authorities in 2022.
A blow to the freedom of the press came on the 15th of January 2022, when ‘Kashmir Press Club’ (KPC) witnessed a military-style takeover by a group of military-backed journalists who broke into the press club offices in Occupied Kashmir and grabbed hold of the official seals and letterhead as Indian police cordoned off the premises.
This group authoritatively appointed themselves as interim management of the KPC. This club has been both a material and spiritual safe-house for Kashmiri journalists reeling under constant harassment by the Indian establishment.
The freedom of the press continues to be further curtailed by the ‘revolving-door’ arrests of many journalists and editors of local media outlets.
In addition, the right to access information continues to be severely restricted with more than 164 instances of internet blockades from January to December 2022.
India has been planning to revive the state-backed militia branded as ‘Village Defense Groups’ (VDG) in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This move comes despite gross human rights abuses by the members of the VDG, including charges of rape and murder.