- Advertisement -
MIRPUR, Nov 20 (APP):The chairman of the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR), Altaf Hussain Wani, has called on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to intervene against a growing wave of surveillance that he says is turning everyday life in Indian-occupied Kashmir into a perpetual state of control. In a letter to Dr. Ana Brian Nougrères, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy, Wani highlighted the deployment of GPS-enabled ankle monitors, mass phone seizures, and biometric data collection as tools that undermine the presumption of innocence and erode fundamental freedoms.
Wani pointed to the case of Mukhtar Ahmed, a resident of Karmara in Poonch, whose bail on November 15 was conditional on the fitting of a GPS tracking device. The anklet, which relays his movements in real time, has effectively restricted his freedom of movement and placed him under constant state surveillance, despite the absence of a conviction. “These practices collectively constitute a systematic erosion of privacy, a fundamental human right enshrined under international law,” Wani wrote, warning that such measures transform legal liberty into a permanent form of control.
Citing Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Wani reminded the council that no individual should be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with their privacy, family, home, or correspondence. He argued that electronic monitoring of undertrial detainees breaches these obligations, especially when applied arbitrarily and disproportionately to those not yet proven guilty. The UN Human Rights Committee has previously clarified that such surveillance can violate international norms when it lacks necessity and proportionality.
Wani urged the UNHRC to launch an independent investigation into the digital surveillance practices in occupied Kashmir and to recommend remedial measures that respect human dignity. “Privacy is not a privilege; it is a cornerstone of human dignity, civil liberty, and the rule of law,” he said, calling for an immediate cessation of the practices and the restoration of fundamental freedoms in line with international law.
The appeal comes amid broader concerns about the intensification of surveillance mechanisms targeting civilians in the disputed region. Rights groups have long warned that GPS monitors, phone confiscations, and biometric data collection are being used to create a climate of fear and to suppress dissent. As the UN deliberates, the spotlight remains on whether the international community will act to protect the privacy rights of Kashmiris and prevent further erosion of their basic freedoms.