MIRPUR (AJK) , Mar 4 (APP):A Kashmiri delegation raised concerns over alleged arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances and the misuse of anti-terror laws in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) during a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, said an official statement issued on Wednesday.
The concerns were voiced during the General Debate on the High Commissioner’s update at the 61st session of the council held in the Swiss city.
Altaf Hussain Wani, representing the World Muslim Congress, expressed deep concern over arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances and the alleged use of anti-terror legislation to suppress dissent in the region.
He also criticised systematic surveillance and a “digital siege”, urging enhanced monitoring by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and accountability for reported violations.
Sardar Amjad Yousaf Khan, speaking on behalf of International Action for Peace and Sustainable Development pointed out that figures claiming that more than 1,050 people had been killed and tens of thousands arrested since 2019.
He highlighted restrictions on international access to the region and called on the High Commissioner to issue a third OHCHR report to assess accountability gaps.
Shamim Shawl, representing the International Muslim Women’s Union, focused on a gendered dimension of the crisis, referring to incidents of sexual violence, widowhood and mental health trauma faced by women in the region. She called for the publication of a dedicated OHCHR report on alleged violations against women.
The delegation also referred to specific cases, including the enforced disappearance of Parveez Shah, adding such incidents underscored the need for transparent investigations and accountability.