MIRPUR, Jun 27 (APP): Altaf Hussain Wani, the World Muslim Congress’ permanent representative to the United Nations, emphasized on Thursday that the protection, documentation, identification and investigation of bodies and human remains of victims of unlawful deaths were obligatory under international law.
Speaking at an interactive dialogue with the Special Reporter on extrajudicial and summary executions during the 56th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Wani highlighted that the mutilation of dead bodies in armed conflicts is classified as a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
He stressed that violations of the right to life implicate the dignity of the dead and the rights of families to their loved ones’ remains.
Wani referred to the refusal of Indian forces to return the bodies of 658 individuals killed in so-called encounters in Kashmir since 2019, which he termed a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and Indian constitutional law.
He urged that state obligations to protect the dead are crucial for ensuring the rights of families and guaranteeing that all unlawful deaths are thoroughly investigated.
